Tear It All Down
by Mavynn
Summary: Many years later Hermione is married to Ron and Draco is married to Astoria. Both happy. And both still bearing scars internal and external that guarantee a collision course. Draco and Ron both prove to Hermione the inherent nature of all mankind, that when it comes to our past, good or ill we CAN tear it all down and start over if we want to badly enough. Rated T for lang/mild sex
1. A Dark Place

**As always my work is rated M for a reason, I curse a LOT if that offends you, prepared to be offended. No graphic sexual scenes here, I write them elsewhere. I promise not to rag on you if you post them on this site though, not even should you link me one night when you are bored and they are my favorite shipped couples. My other work _Negotiating With_ _Dragons_ is still ongoing and is meant to be a 4 novella series covering years 4-7, this is meant to be about 20 chapters to long if you ask some people.**

Hermione thought she knew what the press would say. The Golden Trio, alone or together, could not bear to go on a simple shopping trip in Diagon Alley without creating a scene. They would say that they were glory hungry and reveled in the press's attention. None of which was the truth. Harry, Ron and she would love to be left alone with their spouses to raise their children. But even now seven years after the Battle of Hogwarts the press still stalked them

Or she _would have_ thought that. But for only the second time in her life, Hermione did not stop to think. No plan. No list. No trip to the library. She just acted. It must be something to do with the last name, because someone else with the same last name caused this same response in her once, the overwhelming desire to do violence.

Three men were blocking a woman about her own age pushing a pram with a baby inside. "Yer kind in't wanted 'ere, go shop wif the other filf like you". Hermione was impressed with the woman's composure, she had to be terrified, but she answered evenly, "I have come here to shop like anyone else, please remove yourself from my path and leave us alone, my son is sleeping and we only want to be on our way". The man sneered "Your filfy blood tain'ed son ain' got no more bidness 'ere than snot 'as inna teacup", that was the final straw for Hermione. She knew the child was the same age as her Rose.

She stepped forward, her wand was not drawn but she did not need it to be dangerous. Not anymore. "Leave them alone. In fact, just leave. Now". She did not raise her voice, she did not need to, the war had changed her, when she wanted to she could sound menacing while calmly sipping tea. The man was either too drunk or too stupid to notice. He also did not notice his friends backing away and trying to pull him along. "err.. Stu…" one said "No no Larry, le's fin' out what the lil girl here thinks she kin do abou' it"

Hermione stepped forward, close, too close, the man, Stu, grabbed her arm, this is what she had wanted. "What CAN I do Stu"? She hissed? "I CAN wait for my husband and my best friend to show up, you might know them as Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter, neither one will be thrilled that you grabbed me" his eyes got round as he finally recognized who he was holding on to, he tried to let go but the wandless and silent sticking spell she had cast on herself prevented that, "I CAN wait for her husband to show up and find out you accosted his wife and child in the street. As I recall he has a vicious mean streak that almost rivals mine", her eyes seemed far away for a moment. "I CAN call a full Wizengamot to hold you accountable for assaulting me in public, her husband, my husband and Harry have seats on the Gamot by the way… that will not end well for you…" his swallow was audible, his terror was in full force but she forced him to hold her gaze. "What I AM going to do is this" she brought her knee up forcefully into his groin; he vomited from the sudden pain. "Now we are going to have a chat" she said calmly, ignoring the fact that he had vomited down the front of her robes. "Stay where you are" she shot a look to his friends who tried to get away, they did not dare move again, "We fought a war, I had to fight, to kill children, FUCKING CHILDREN, and maybe they would have always been vile, loathsome, evil, little cockroaches but we will never know because they never had a CHANCE TO CHANGE"! She screamed this last part, "Children that I had gone to school with since I was ELEVEN FUCKING YEARS OLD, DEAD, because maniacs like you think blood is important, do you think I did that so you could bully a woman and her child in the street because they ARE pureblood"? He moaned "Answer me". "No… no ma'am, but ma'am thems got's the mark, they do they were supporters of…" She suddenly released him and grabbed her arm, "Get out, and leave before I do something to you that will be on the front page of every paper in the wizarding world. And if I EVER see you attack someone for scars or marks forced on them during that war I will use the only time turner left in existence to send your eyes into the future where they can see I am STILL kicking your arse, but first, apologize to Mrs. Malfoy, ALL of you"

They needed no more encouragement, stuttering out hasty apologies they ran like Voldemort himself was on their tail.

Without turning around, Hermione asked quietly "is your son still asleep"? Astoria, somewhat in awe of the tigress who had unexpectedly and viciously defended her, but now, inexplicably, sounded defeated, "Yes Mrs. Granger, he is, thank you". Hermione's shoulders slumped; "Granger-Weasley "she automatically corrected, without thinking about it, "Scourgify" she cleaned the front of her robes "you won't thank me when we are splashed across the front page tomorrow, I am sorry for that. I should have left it for Malfoy". But she hadn't, she couldn't. It did not startle her to hear Draco speak up. She had known he was there, just as she knew Ron and Harry were now behind her. She heard the sneer in his voice, "Yes, you should have, I will take care of the Press, _Granger"_ She flinched slightly at his tone but said nothing about it. She just nodded. She never turned her head to look at him, at any of them.

No one missed the fact that she had not taken her hand from her arm, everyone but Astoria knew what she was covering with long sleeves and now her hand, what was carved there. Ron reached out for her, but knew she welcomed no touch when she was reminded of that day and he dropped his hand. "Mione, love, are you ready to go home" he whispered quietly. She walked a few feet to a low wall and stood against it her back still to them so they would not see how close she was to losing her composure again. "No Ronald, I need to be in a very dark place for a while" she apparated away.

"You better go talk to her mate" Ron said to Harry, "You know I am no good at this stuff, you fix these things better than I do".

They heard a derisive snort from Draco. "You got a problem with me wanting my wife to feel better, Malfoy" he sneered at them both "No, no, please, go 'fix' things again, both of you know sooo much about being marked in the war". Harry waved his hand towards his scar "Yeah, that is EXACTLY the same, Potter" Draco smirked, "the famous lightning bolt seen as a badge of hope and courage given to you as an infant so that you have no memory of receiving it EXACTLY the same as being tortured and having a slur carved into you". Astoria was appalled at her husband's demeanor "Draco…" she admonished her hands covering her mouth, she had never seen this side of her husband, Ron's face turned redder than his hair, just as he opened his mouth to speak Harry said "Fair point, you are right, so what do you suggest"? Harry knew Malfoy would not have spoken up unless he wanted to voice his opinion; years of sitting on boards with him gave him that experience. Ron stared at Harry as if he had taken up breeding garden gnomes as a hobby. "I suggest you leave it to the expert in marks. Me". Harry nodded, Ron shouted "hell will freeze over first" and Astoria looked at Harry and Draco like they had lost their minds. "Wait" she said thoroughly confused, "You don't even like her, why would you help her, I love you Draco but… ". He smiled wolfishly at his wife "random acts of kindness are not in my character". She laughed "No my love, they are not". He kissed her cheek "This is not random, and it is my responsibility to… it is something that a member of my family needs to make …" he found he could not find the right words. Ron looked at him speculatively "I don't trust you" he said plainly. Draco smirked again "YOU shouldn't, I don't much like you Weasley, in case I had not made that clear before today". Ron glared at him "But I am going to let you do this because Hermione REALLY doesn't like you and by the time she is done with you, your inflated ego won't fit in a thimble, she isn't that same girl from school" Draco's eyes raised "YOU are going to let me, maybe you should listen to your own words, I doubt anyone allows Granger to do anything".

Draco turned to his wife, "You OK with this, Tori"? Astoria nodded "I am, not that you would not have handled those men, but she did come to my aid, I could not even go for my wand without risking Scorpius", she shuddered," if you can help her, please do, there was something so sad, so defeated in her. And ask her to have tea with me next week" Draco folded her in his arms, "I will ask love but don't hold your breath, there is no way Granger is going to have tea with anyone carrying the last name Malfoy". Astoria smiled, "Don't be such a pessimist love, people may surprise you". He laughed, "Perhaps, you did after all". Harry and Ron were a bit surprised that for a moment Malfoy was neither smirking nor snarling just a man very much in love with his wife.

"I will just take my wife home and go talk to her". Harry looked to Astoria, "If you don't mind, Mrs. Malfoy, Ron and I can escort you home" she nodded "It is Astoria, and I don't mind if Draco doesn't" Draco rolled his eyes, "You couldn't be safer, the Chosen One risk his reputation by allowing one hair on your head to be damaged? Not in this life time" his words were sarcastic but Harry noticed his eyes were actually sparkling at his wife. Astoria asked "But where will you even find her? She never said where she was going just a very dark place. There are hundreds, thousands of places that could mean". The three men laughed "Not to Hermione", Ron said "that means only one place" the three men said in unison "the library"


	2. I'll Show You Mine If You Show Me Yours

**Trigger Warning: Memory of Sexual Assault. No Graphic depictions will ever be given in any of my writing anywhere of sexual violence. Voldemort was a terrible being**

There was no true "library" in Diagon Alley, but there was Flourish and Blotts, the good proprietors of which kept a special backroom for Hermione where she could go and read and have tea very quietly. This was done not only in honor of her contributions to the wizarding world, but her contributions to their coffers.

"Your tea Ms. Hermione" said the house elf, laying out her favorite teas and small cakes "Thank you Lemy" even though Hermione did not really want any tea she did not want to hurt Lemy's feelings "Is Ms. Hermione's guest to be having tea also"? Hermione looked up expecting to see Harry and was shocked to find Draco Malfoy in the doorway. "No" "Yes" both of them spoke at the same time, confusing Lemy. "Fine, one cup of tea and then go. And I am changing my hobby as of today". Draco snorted.

No matter what he had tried to explain to his wife about responsibilities or Harry about being an expert, he had no idea why he was here really or what he could possibly hope to accomplish. Except that she had come to the defense of his wife and son. She had made that stupid comment about how "vile loathsome evil little cockroaches" might have changed, could have grown into something better. Not exactly in those words but… had she believed he could have been a better man? And it was HIS house she was tortured in. He had a responsibility to come here.

Draco settled himself into the chair across from her, staring at her over the tented tips of his fingers. She went back to her book. "I can do this all day Granger". She sighed and sat her book down. "What do you want Malfoy? In case it wasn't clear I came here to be alone." He shook his head "That is a lie, how very Slytherin of you Granger". She choked on her tea "Excuse me"? She really had changed. Into someone who looked like they may stab him, not punch him. "You did not come here to be alone, you came here to hide, and that doesn't sound like something a Gryffindor would do, maybe the Sorting Hat put you in the wrong house". She glared at him "What do you think I could possibly have to hide from? I am Hermione Fucking Granger-Weasley. One third of the Golden Trio Vanquisher of All Things…." He cut her off "I'll show you mine if you show me yours" he unbuttoned his sleeve.

"Don't, please… just... don't" she pleaded slightly choking on the word, her eyes going impossibly round. Draco took in here fear and her panic not understanding either, "I know you have seen the marks before, in court at trial, it was mandatory to…" she stopped him "On people who chose them I don't care, I have never been able to stomach forced marks and carvings. I just… I can't… please don't". He took his hand from his sleeve. "What makes you think I didn't choose this Granger"? Now that he had stopped threatening to roll his sleeve up she felt like she could breathe again. "You were a bully, Malfoy, a horrid child really, but evil? No. Everything you did was to protect your mother and to try to make your father proud. I knew that then. I knew you had not chosen it. But the real reason was the look on your face when Bel.."she found she still could not say the name without gagging "your aunt … when she marked me you looked not just horrified but there was a moment when you looked like you were remembering the same thing happening to you. And then I saw it. I saw your initiation. I thought it was a hallucination brought on by pain and terror but after looking into something else I learned about sympathetic magic and I don't believe that is what happened, I know how you felt about what happened"

He stared at her in horror. That was not possible. There is no way she could have actually seen what she claims to have and still allow him in the same room with her. "It WAS just a hallucination Granger…"

"They took you to the Malfoy crypts. It was so dark and terrifying. There was a young girl there, maybe thirteen? Fourteen? Human and tied across a tombstone with her arms and legs spread. They had carved runes in to her there was so much blood. They were chanting maybe six or seven men in death eater masks, they forced your mother to watch while…"

"STOP"! He was shaking. Merlin she had witnessed it. The crypts were meant to terrorize the girl. His mother was made to watch him violate and murder the girl to punish her for some transgression.

"So I know your mark was no more a choice than mine was" she whispered, and her eyes were somewhere far away, probably back to that day he realized.

"Granger… Hermione… come back… please …."Maybe it was the shock of her given name on his lips, but her eyes found his again and a bit of sanity returned. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to bring all of that up… I just REALLY do not want you to roll up your sleeve". He nodded "OK, we will work up to that" her brows furrowed in confusion "Work up to that" he sighed "For the brightest witch of her age Granger you sure do need things repeated a lot. I am not going to leave you back there. Not on your day, and sure as hell not on mine. So we will work on it. And maybe exorcize a few demons for both of us".

And that is exactly what they did. Slowly over the next several months. They returned to his manor. The entire place had been gutted after the war. No rooms remained that she would remember. All of the old paintings destroyed or removed. The place was redecorated to be warm and invited. It was now a home and not a cold brutal place that demanded someone to be tortured for ambiance if nothing else. They talked. About the war. About the people who died. About those they had killed. About how the face of every person Hermione killed became the face of Bellatrix LeStrange and how the worst part wasn't how she had hated it but how she had started to feel justified, even proud of her kills. Until the war ended and of course and she had to face all of those deaths. For him it was the opposite. The deaths seemed justified at first.

His father and everyone whose opinion he cared about were proud. But then the enormity of the deaths hit him. The tortured muggles. The girl in the cemetery. The way his mother had never been able to quite look him in the eye again. The way his parents had moved out after the war. To Sweden. How they never talked now. And how pointless it had all been. How she had restored her parents memories but it was never the same.

And she had tea with Astoria. It became a weekly thing. Even Ron and Harry played nice in the sandbox. Or in this case, the Quidditch pitch. And this was mostly so Harry and Draco could finally determine between them who the better seeker truly was. Two years later and that question was still up for debate when Ginny and Astoria put a stop to it because Harry and Draco were becoming dangerous to themselves reliving glory days, but the question of the friendship between them had not. The three couple, Ronald and Hermione with their two kids Rose and Hugo, Harry and Ginny with James and Albus and later Lilly, and Draco and Astoria with Scorpius were constant companions. Albus and Scorpius were best mates immediately; plans were made to take over the known world, which largely consisted of the Burrow, Malfoy Manor and Godrich Hollow. Rose and Scorpius bickered so much their parents were convinced they would either end up married or sharing a cell in Azkaban. Or both.

And slowly, Draco and Hermione healed the scars in each other's souls. The day they could both peel back their sleeves and hold their scars up side by side and decide not to be defined by them any longer was the day they knew they could let the past go. No one but very close intimates would ever understand why they had gone to a muggle tattoo parlor to get "mudblood" tattooed on Draco's arm and a small dark mark tattooed on Hermione's, but it was a testament to their friendship and healing that a burden shared was a burden halved and they had both come to understand this. They would not forget but they would, through each other let go of some of the pain.

No one who had known them in school would have ever believed Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy would ever have come to see each other as family. He was as close to her as Ron and Harry were. Every year at the celebration ceremony for the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts Draco and Astoria accompanied them as guests and the assembly was reminded the Malfoys had fought against Voldemort in that final battle.

So when Astoria began to show signs when Rose and Scorpius were in their second year at Hogwarts of the family curse that would claim her life Hermione was broken hearted for her friend and brother. She swore to Astoria that as long as she lived Draco and Scorpius would be her family and she would be the best sister to Draco and Aunt to Scorpius that she could.

She swore it once again to Astoria at her funeral a year later as she held Scorpius' trembling frame to her heart and promised him he would never be alone while looking Draco in the eye and promising him the same.

She had no way of knowing how this simple heartfelt promise to her dear friends would destroy the life she had built with Ron.


	3. In Which Ron Ruins Harry's Very Good Day

The fact that Hermione was no fan of flying brooms was well known. It had become quite the family joke. It was worse than not being a fan, she was terrified of it, not heights exactly, but the absurdity of the small fragile looking broom meant to keep her aloft. It was illogical no matter how often she studied the magical theory behind it.

When she decided that to surprise Ron for his annual birthday Quidditch game she knew she could not ask Harry or Ginny to teach her, they were both too busy. Ginny was covering the World Cup and Harry and Ron were in Bulgaria on assignment, so she went to Draco. Malfoy Manor had its own pitch and Draco had a great deal of experience in helping her overcome fears.

For Draco it gave him something to concentrate on besides the loss of his wife and his crushing loneliness of the last year. Scorpius had school and his friends. Draco had friends, but no real direction. Malfoy Industries ran itself with little to no input from him, house elves, free and paid against their will at Hermione's insistence ran the manor. So he happily jumped on the chance to watch Hermione fall on her know it all ass several times a night.

"Granger, it is like you are trying to spare the grass the indignity of living under my rule by carting it away on your backside every night". She glared at him "I don't know how you are supposed to stay upright on these stupid bits of wood, Malfoy"! They had gone back to last names, but these were no longer said viciously, more like their private nicknames for each other. "It is called magic, Granger; perhaps you have heard of it? Someone once told me there were even schools with huge libraries where one might go to study the practice of this noble art". She muttered a word she would have sentenced her children to scrubbing cauldrons for using. "Tsk, did you learn that word in one of your books, Granger"? He helped her up from the round "Here, sit on my broom in front of me" she did so "Now lean forward into it, don't tense up, just relax, you keep falling off because when you lean over like that you are signaling that you are ready to park the broom". He reached around and placed his hands over hers and helped her to steer, after a half hour she was ready to fly solo a few feet off the ground. When she was done she grabbed his hands and they spun around in circles like a couple of goofy kids.

All in all it had been a good day for one Harry James Potter.

Kids off at school, and doing a fine job of being in school. Albus after all of his fussing was sorted into Slytherin and had decided he gave that house class. He made the decision he said after Scorpius was sorted into it. "Can't have my best mate going off without me, dad" Lilly and James were Gryffindors through and through.

Wife at home in bed. A wife who had woke him up in a very satisfactory way he remembered with a grin. It was perfectly fine with him if she was just feeling guilty for having gone to the World Cup without him while he was away on assignment. He was perfectly willing to exploit her guilt for his own ends.

And it was Ron's turn to file all the paperwork. Yup, good day.

He decided to go to his best friend's office with coffee and donuts to rub his lack of paperwork in Ron's face before helping him with it. It may be Ron's turn, but in no way did Harry TRUST him with it. He wanted to keep in Kingsley's good graces, he needed a week off to take his wife to Italy. And maybe get a few more satisfactory wake up calls. This required proper filing of forms.

He flung open the door to Ron's office to find him and Hermione in a _very_ compromising position. "Merlin, Ron, lock the bloody door would you, I do NOT want to see Hermione's naked ass propped up on a desk, or anywhere for that matter"! He slammed the door closed, only then realizing Hermione did not have black hair. Ron's assistant did.

Shit. Good day over.

He threw the coffee and donuts into the nearest bin and strode off towards his office. Moments later Ron came rushing out after him. "Harry, wait"! Harry did not even pause. Just went to his office sat at his desk and stared at the door in a way that should have caused it to burst into flames. Ron came in. "I can explain Harry". Not a word came from Harry. Just the stone cold look he was known for by the other Aurors, not one Ron was used to from him. "It just happened, mate, a one off thing, Hermione's been spending all her time with Malfoy and…" Harry stood up pulling his wand "Give me one good reason Ron, not to hex your bollocks off". Ron paled "Years of friendship"? Harry just stared at him "Are you going to tell Hermione"? Harry sighed "No Ron, I am not" Ron sagged in relief "YOU are".

Ron knew Harry would have his back when he knew the whole story, just maybe now was NOT the best time to tell him that. He had looked a bit serious about the whole bollocks hexing thing. Ron trusted Harry. He trusted him with his life, his wife, his kids and he trusted that if Harry said he would remove his testicles he would do exactly that. But Harry did not know the whole story. He knew that he would have to prove it to him. Hell, at this point prove it to the world just to avoid being lynched. He needed a plan.

But first, he needed a drink.

No good plans come after a drink. Or six… or however many he had, but he had a plan and a vial and wife to speak to. But he needed a witness. Harry, his best mate would not let him down.

He went home first and fixed his wife's tea. Then called her to sit with him. "Ugh Ronald Weasley, you have been drinking". He smiled easily at her "Just a few after work with the boys, love, to celebrate" he handed her the cup of tea "to make it up I made you your favorite tea and invited Harry over for game night" she smiled at her tipsy husband "Ronald, I doubt you are in any shape to play games tonight but at least Harry can carry you up to bed".

She drank her tea waiting for Harry who arrived just a few minutes later by floo. "Alright there Ron"? Harry asked warily "I am better than alright Harry, you are going to see I am not the monster here" he waved his hand at Hermione, "A little slip of the hand" he pulled out a vial "and now she will tell you everything she has been up to with that git Malfoy" Harry's eyes grew wide "You drugged Hermione with veritaserum?! That is illegal and immoral Ronald Weasley, they will have your badge for this, you could face time"! Ron looked stunned and guilty, but…but Harry ask her what she has been up to with Malfoy, she was cheating first, weren't you? All that time you spent alone with Malfoy letting him put his arms around you"? Ron sneered at his wife. Hermione looked him in the eye "I was taking flying lessons so I could join your birthday Quidditch match as a surprise; I even bought my own broom". Ron's eyes narrowed "She beat it somehow, Harry, she is …" Harry glared at him "Even if she could, and she can't, she would have to know her own husband was going to drug her".

Ron looked confused and shook his head "But no Harry, this is all wrong, what else was she doing? There are pictures of him with his arms around her and his hands all over her" he threw down some pictures clearly taken at Malfoy Manor. Harry looked at them "all these show are him steadying her on the broom, Ron and dusting her off, no more sexual than Madame Hooch teaching Neville to fly, are you suggesting Neville and Hooch had something going on"? Ron was starting to look more ill by the moment. His eyes flew to Hermione panicked, desperate "You can admit it, I will forgive you, I swear, just tell me what went on between you and Draco and I can tell you about me and Cecilia and we can put this all behind us and forget it ever happened".

Hermione looked at him square in the eye "The only thing veritaserum makes me do is tell the truth. I have never had any type of affair with Draco. But clearly you have had one with your assistant. I will never forgive you for that and I will never forgive you for drugging me and taking away my free will. What comes next Ronald? Imperius? Cruciatus? Would you like to carve "Adulteress" somewhere on my body"? Ron looked horrified, Harry looked sick and furious.

Hermione turned tearfully to Harry staring at the floor "Take me away from here Harry. Please". Harry took her hand and led her outside to side apparate. "Don't move Ron, we are going to talk when I get back". Harry took Hermione to his flat and left her with Ginny while he went back to Ron to discuss the serious crime his friend and fellow Auror had perpetrated this night on his own wife and Harry's best friend.

Ron was Harry's best friend, but so was Hermione. And she had done nothing wrong. She had tried to surprise and please her husband. He had used a potion on her illegally, a fact that as an Auror he could not ignore and brought back a traumatizing experience for her.

It was now absolutely official. Good day officially shot to shit.


	4. Very Angry Weasleys

Chapter 4

As Harry could not very well leave Hermione with Ginny, Ron's sister without some explanation, one a furious Hermione was only too ready to supply, by the time he returned to Ron's house it was full of even more furious Weasley's. He had the feeling he'd arrived just in time to save what little there was left worth of Ron's hide. Molly looked ready to perform a very late contraceptive spell to prevent Ron's birth. His father, a man Harry had seen look angry only a handful of times appeared ready to do his son bodily harm and even George looked sober and serious. That could not be a good sign. "You really fouled this one up you right stupid git" George was saying as he flooed in "You have lost your wife, probably your job and if I understand the law correctly in return may well have gained a comfy cell in Azkaban. Well done old boy. Hope the shag was worth it". Ron looked miserable, and even Molly did not correct George's crude comment. Definitely not a good sign.

Harry crossed to lay a hand on Arthurs shoulder and kiss Molly on the cheek. Ron glared at Harry "Did you have to tell them about Cecilia"? Harry sighed wearily "As if I have got a word in edgeways all night Ron" Molly turned beat red "Don't you DARE blame this on Harry, Ronald Billius Weasley! This is entirely YOUR doing" Ron slunk down in his chair "well how else could George have known" George snorted "I didn't, but what else could have made you do something as stupid as putting an illegal potion in your wife's tea. How could that have EVER gone well, by the way? This isn't some stupid bint, this is Hermione Granger, without whom neither one of you would have survived to make it to fourth year let alone the Battle of Hogwarts". This started a round of murmuring in agreeance one dissention, from Ron.

"Quiet" Arthur Weasley said loudly. Everyone stopped and looked at him. "Where do we go from here, Harry, I assume the Auror Department takes a dim view of these actions, even assuming _you_ could ignore it, and we certainly would not ask you to, I doubt Hermione will" Harry pinched the bridge of his nose "I have given that some thought. You are correct, I cannot ignore it. The best we can hope for is to keep it out of the press and Ron out of prison". Ron moaned. "You are going to have to resign with a plausible reason Ron, there is nothing for it. Kingsley will agree to that I think, but it needs to be a damned good reason". Arthur nodded, "That seems fair Harry, Molly wiped tears from her eyes, as furious as she was Ron was still her youngest son and she did not want him in prison, George spoke up "I could use a partner at Weasleys Wizard Wheezes, we want to open a few more branches, but we need help, and a sizable monetary contribution, of course". Ron slumped but nodded. "This all depends on Kingsley agreeing and one other sticking point" Harry continued "You have to get Hermione to agree not to press charges and the way she left here… she sees you as bad as any death eater she ever encountered" Ron went white and Molly sobbed. "Will you talk to her Harry"? Arthur asked quietly "I know we have no right to ask..." Harry looked tired suddenly and older than he really was "You have every right to ask Arthur, you are the closest thing to a family I have ever known even before we became family, it is what we do, even when a member of that family acts like an enormous arse". He flooed home only to find Hermione gone and Ginny had no idea where she went or when she had left only that she said she was going to sleep in the guest room and she had not disturbed her again.

Draco woke up to one of the house elves telling him that Ms. Hermione was downstairs in distress. "Take her to the parlor Tabby and get her tea, or firewhiskey or whatever she wants I will be right down". He was in a near panic, was it one of the kids? Had something happened to Harry or Ron on assignment? What in Merlin's name could bring her here at; he cast a time spell, one o'clock in the morning?

He barely got dressed; he threw on his robe and slippers, and made sure he was decent enough in case Aurors needed to come ask questions, or healers or whatever the emergency was.

Distress did not come close to describing what he found. She was pulled up in a fetal position rocking back and forth on his couch, tabby had wrapped a blanket around her and was patting her knee softly. Tears were streaming down her face but other than a low pitched moan she was making no other sound. He was certain looking at her that someone had died or been seriously injured. When he asked if he should call someone, Harry or Ron she looked at him so broken he knew that was not the right question and he did not miss her wedding ring sitting on his table. Merlin what had Weasley done this time?

He sat at the other end of the couch pulled her up against him, levitated the blanket around them and rocked her gently until she finally broke and started sobbing. Before she was done his robe and pajama top were soaked through and he had dried them twice.

It was an hour before she could form coherent words enough to tell him what had happened.

As angry as he was, and he was bloody furious, the Weasel had someone spying at the manor and taking pictures, bloody hell, and the scandal could wreck everything he had been working to rebuild, he knew right now she just needed a friend; the rest could wait until later, when he would pull the bastard apart limb by limb.

He stroked her hair while she calmed herself. "I can't go back there Draco". He pressed his face into her curls "You don't have to, you can stay here". She laughed a little "Now that WOULD cause a scandal" as if reading his thoughts from earlier "We don't have to decide anything tonight Granger, Tabby will take you to bed and get your things for you, she will bring you a sleeping drought so you can get a good night's sleep. You will call in tomorrow and we will figure this out together".

She buried herself closer to his chest and under his chin and nodded "Could we stay like this awhile? I don't want to be alone". Something in his chest tightened at that and he pulled her closer making her the same promise she once made him "You will never be alone, Granger". She laughed "When will you stop calling me Granger" a traitorous stray thought crept up on him by surprise _only when I call you mine._

Harry knew he should not have been surprised when the Malfoy house elf showed up asking for Ms. Hermione's things. Of course she went to Draco; everyone else she knew was related to Ron. Harry knew there was nothing between Draco and Hermione (before now, he worried) but he wished she had stayed with him anyway he was her best friend, she needed him.

"Why didn't you go to her house, Tabby"? The house elf's eyes narrowed "the Weasley is there. He hurt Ms. Hermione. Made her cry, but I am forbidden by Mr. Draco to harm him so I comes to Harry Potter to get her things so I am not tempted". Harry sighed. He remembered when Lucius Malfoy had tried to hex him in front of Dobby and the thrashing he had taken for it. A free elf was a powerful and dangerous foe, and while not all of the elves wanted Hermione's brand of help, all recognized she had their best interest at heart and truly cared about them. They would seek retribution against any who harmed her. And for those who had accepted freedom? Those elves tended to be fanatically loyal to her even when it had been forced upon them. He knew he had better go along.

Tabby apparated them to the Weasley household, Ron looked up, sober now and much the worse for wear. "Well Harry did you talk to her"? Harry sighed, what a mess "Not exactly Ron, just her messenger" he waved a hand towards Tabby "Wait is that the Malfoy house elf"?! Tabby glared at him and crossed her arms "I is having a name Weasley, it is Tabby, and I is here to get Ms. Hermione's things. I is only to harm you if absolutely necessary, but I will bring Ms. Hermione's things to her". Ron's eyes went wide as Tabby disappeared and they could hear what sounded like every article of clothing and book Hermione owned being packed. "You see Harry? She went to HIM" Harry rubbed his face; "Where else did you think she would go Ron? Everyone else is related to YOU! Do you think Ginny and I did not want her to stay with us? She is my best friend! After what you did I am not 100% certain I still want to call YOU my friend. Family, yes, brother, yes, friend, right now not so much". Ron grimaced and looked at the floor "But don't you dare blame her for going to her one friend that is not related to you. And if that friendship turns in to something more? Good for them, because Merlin knows they both deserve something good and decent after everything that has happened, and I sure as hell hope you pull your head out of your arse so one day you can deserve that too".

"You really don't think she is going to forgive me, do you Harry"?

"No Ron, I really, really don't. Not for a very long time. And I don't believe she is ever going to return here as your wife".


	5. Tear it Down and Start Over

Chapter 5

In the end she stayed. Not that Draco gave her much choice. Tabby had come home that night and he instructed her to set up the west wing for her and that was that. It had a private drive and entrance, the home office she would need and realistically there was no reason for her not to. Within the week she was completely settled in and her case files cluttered her office there so thoroughly you would think she had been working there a year not a week.

She and Draco had begun taking their meals together. Neither usually talked much, both were usually too caught up in their work. Hermione had talked Draco into charity work; there was still a lot to be done after all. The Malfoy funds had more than recovered their losses from the war under his management and he had a knack for managing which some of these charities desperately needed. Occasionally they consulted one another on a project they were working on, she knew a great deal about rights for magical creatures and he had in sight into magical law enforcement cases she could not get elsewhere

She agreed to meet with Ron only if Draco and Harry were both present. Harry barely talked her out of demanding Kingsley be there as well for the initial meeting. All she would agree to was not calling him in at the outset.

One week later, Ron and Harry both showed up and Draco took them to his study. Ron looked like hell. Draco was glad and told him so, earning him a dark look. "Don't blame me Weasley, I was doing a nice thing for your birthday and you sent spies to my house to create a scandal for me and my son after all he has already suffered. You should count yourself grateful that I am not pressing charges for trespassing". Ron paled, he had never considered that, Draco went on "the only reason I am not is for Rose and Hugo's sake; I don't want them to watch their father hauled off to jail, it is devastating to a child". Ron sneered "Well you would know" no one had seen Hermione come in she laid a hand on Draco's shoulder "Yes, he would. Thank you for considering my children, Draco". He nodded at her and laid his hand on top of hers earning another dark look from Ron, but a thoughtful one from Harry.

Tabby came in at the moment "Would mistress like tea for her guests"? Hermione's eyes softened as she looked at her fierce little defender, she knew the house elf really just came in to check on her, Draco smirked as well, this was HIS employee, and here she was going to someone else first for orders, how had his household got so out of control in such a short time? But he knew Tabby's motives so he just ignored it. "Yes Tabby that would be lovely, Thank you". Tabby beamed "I will bring you the biscuits I know are your favorites Mistress".

Ron was furious. "So now this is your home with your very own servants is it"? Hermione just stared at him coldly, evenly; her tears were for later, when she was alone. "Tabby is my friend, not my servant" at that moment the little elf came back with the tea and served them taking Hermione's hand in gratitude for the comment and glaring at Ron. Hermione leaned down to her "Tabby would you please check on Dimmy, he says his back is not hurting him but he refuses to use the salve I gave him and he won't rest" Tabby nodded solemnly "Yes mistress, I will go see to him" she glared a warning at Ron before she left. "We are not here to discuss my living arrangements or my friends. We are here because you asked to meet with me before I went to Kingsley with my concerns about your abuse of your authority as an Auror and your illegal use of a controlled potion, veritaserum on an unwilling and unknowing subject without a warrant: me".

Ron swallowed hard. This was the Abuse of Magical Artifacts Officer others had come to know and fear. Hermione Granger-Weasley had never failed to get a conviction. "Mione…please…" she stared at him coldly again "If you have something to say to me Ronald say it. Anything that could possibly mitigate this".

"Hermione please don't throw out our entire lives for one stupid mistake".

"Two if you are counting".

"OK, two… two horrendously stupid mistakes, you are better than this, you are more forgiving than this, look at Malfoy here, he tormented your entire childhood and now he is your best friend, are you saying I am not worth a second chance"?

Draco actually thought he had a fair point, not that he would ever tell him that and wondered how she would respond.

"I hope you have something better than that up your sleeve Ronald. I separated the boy he was that I intensely disliked who was a bully and everything foul about the Wizarding world from the man he became that has become everything right about it. Second chances and hope that there can be more, that we don't have to be defined by our past that" she waved her arms around to encompass the entirely transformed manor "that we CAN tear it all down and start over if we want to badly enough".

All three men stared at her stunned. None more so than Draco himself. He had no idea she felt that way. It was… humbling.

"Now I find I have to live up to those standards. I won't press charges, if Draco won't cause a scandal for our children neither will I. But I have to separate the boy you were that I loved and admired the strength and courage of, from the man you are today who has also shown me, sadly, that we CAN tear it all down and start over if we want to badly enough. We will need to go Hogwarts and let the children know, as I intend to start divorce proceedings and the press will find out. I want them to hear it from us first".

"And Ron, Cecilia came to see me". Ron glanced at her sharply, "Congratulations. You are going to be a father again. She is about three months along".

That night, Hermione leaned over the balcony, resting her forearms on the rail overlooking the gardens. It was all so quiet. Like always she knew when he came up behind her, knew his step separate and distinct from one of the elves or anyone else's.

"It all just seems so pointless sometimes. We fought a war for what? The bigotry the hate, they are all still there, no one changed their minds. All we ever accomplished was to kill a bunch of people. The world never changed".

He rested his hands on her waist. "You thought you were changing the world"?

Hermione leaned back against him, surprising both of them. Neither of them had this type of intimacy for a long time Draco because of the death of his wife, and Hermione, as she was beginning to realize, the slow death of her marriage. Neither one commented on it, but neither pulled away.

"Yes, that was the point, what other reason could there possibly have been to fight if we didn't want to change things to make them better? I guess that seems naïve to you. What were you fighting for"?

He pulled her back against his chest and placed his hand across her stomach "I fought for survival. Your way does sound naïve. But so much better".

"I don't know about "better" it wasn't like we had much choice. We had been fighting that war since literally first year".

He frowned. "That can't be right... I mean I know it must seem like it.."

"No, we faced down Voldemort in the first year and stopped him from rising then" Draco still flinched at the name. "Tell me…"

So she did. Every year, every task every horror they had faced down again and again. Draco could not believe the number of times they had come face to face with the Dark Lord and walked away, as children! She stated these tales in such a matter of fact tone with no boasting that he knew they were the truth.

"I have no idea what to say Hermione. It sounds like every adult in your life failed you. How did they justify throwing you against those horrors time and time again? Potter had his protections, but you had…what? A fucking school library"?

She laughed a bit "It was war Draco. No one wanted to admit it, but we were at war. You use the tools you have. I imagine it was the same way the adults in your life justified using you. That's why Harry never really hated you, you know" this was a surprise to Draco, he assumed their truce was rather new "He saw you as being in the same boat as himself, just on the other side. Anyway...it worked though. We survived it. And even more, we won. I doubt anyone really thought we would Prophecy or no prophecy".

"Hermione… what you said to Harry and Ron…I really don't know what to say".

She shrugged "Then say nothing, it doesn't require a statement. Ron was right. You are my best friend. Harry is... but it's different with Harry, he is my brother. "The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb" you and I don't have that kind of relationship. If Harry stood behind me like this on a balcony with his arm around my middle it would just be creepy".

He smiled and pulled her closer, she laid her head back.

They stayed like that for a long time with her head on his chest


	6. Someone Perfect for You

Chapter 6

Sitting alone in Dumbledore, now Neville's office brought back a lot of memories for Hermione, both good and bad. Warnings about using the time turner and not seeing herself, assurances that her obliviated parents would be taken care of and a feeling that everything would be alright because someone was in charge. Now that someone was supposed to be her. While waiting for the children to be brought up she looked at the portrait of Dumbledore who was appraising her over his half moon glasses.

"Were you ever afraid that you were going to make the wrong call? That no matter what you did it was going to go wrong"? His eyes twinkled "All the time Ms. Granger, most often in the little things since they happened more frequently than the earth shattering decisions. Every time a child walked out of here hopeful that some pithy little saying of mine would save the day I was terrified that I had mixed up two words that would cause chaos. Not all of us were the brightest wizards and witches of their age you know. Some of us had to make do with being mere mortals". She gave a watery laugh and felt much better.

Neville finally returned with Ron and a few awkward minutes later Rose and Hugo entered the room "You wanted to see us Professor", started Hugo, proper as always "Hugo, this is in private, we get to still call him Uncle Neville in private" Hugo sighed "School property is not private Rose…" both pulled up short when they saw their parents.

"Mum, Dad"? Started Rose feeling a little uneasy, she moved closer to her younger brother "Everything alright there"?

Hugo took in his mother's pale face, the tight lines of his father's mouth "No Rosie, I really don't think it is" he took her hand noticing she was going to start hyperventilating "breath Rosie, we talked about this".

Their parents were stunned "Talked about what Hugo"? Hermione asked

"You are finally getting divorced right"? Rose squeaked out.

Ron and Hermione looked stunned. "Why would you assume that sweetheart"? Asked Ron. The look Rose turned on him was positively venomous. _Dear Merlin_ thought Hermione, _they know_.

Ignoring his parents for a moment Hugo asked Neville, breaking protocol for a moment, "Uncle Neville, may I ask Scorpius to come in" Neville nodded, Hermione realized that Neville had said nothing since entering the room, he had just looked sad and very solemn. Hugo stuck his head around the corner "Scorp, take Rose to Lily please and bring back the lock box". Scorpius did not look at Ron but came forward and hugged Hermione, and whispered to her "It's going to be OK, dad and I have your back, and you know that right"? Hermione was too stunned to speak. He gathered Rose and left. "Don't worry Mum, they are only at the bottom of the stairs". Hermione nodded stunned at how mature her son was acting.

"Hugo.." started Ron when Neville finally spoke up "Ron, it may be best to wait until Scorpius comes back, I had intended to call you in today myself if you had not asked for this meeting, the children only brought this to me last night".

Scorpius returned with a box handed it to Hugo and said "I'll be downstairs mate, Albus and I are here if you need anything, but right now I need to take care of Rose".

Ron turned very red in the face "Another Malfoy thinking he can do my job for me, and why do you think you can take care of _my daughter_ better than her parents can right now Malfoy Jr."?

Scorpius looked at him very calmly; even politely "That is not for me to say sir" he looked at Neville "May I be excused Professor Longbottom"? Neville nodded and waived a hand. Hugo had to stop himself from smirking; Scorpius only became that polite when he was restraining himself from blowing up.

Very carefully opening the box after disabling several spells and curses he had placed on it, Hermione was very impressed in spite of the circumstances; he withdrew a stack of papers. After turning them over Ron and Hermione could see they were photographs. "First we received these, we thought they were from you at first Mum and had planned to frame them for Dad's birthday". They were the same photos Ron had received. "You didn't think they were inappropriate" Ron snarled "No, why would I" Hugo asked "They look …" Ron seemed at a loss for words "Compromising" Hugo looked disgusted with his father "If you are suggesting what I think you are about my mother, and you better not be, I doubt she would have been "compromised" with her children present". Ron looked stunned "What"?! He shouted his face turning red "We were there watching, it was actually pretty funny and not at all inappropriate. But then we got more pictures. These were a lot less… innocent". Ron looked at Hermione with a smug look.

Hugo tossed the pictures on the desk. They were of Ron and Cecilia, in very compromising positions. Some were obviously taken while Ron and Cecilia were engaged in sexual activities inappropriate to be sent to his children taken in hotel rooms, in his office and other locals. Some less vulgar pictures were taken while clearly on dates in muggle restaurants and other muggle establishments. It became clear why Hugo and Scorpius wanted Rose removed from the room. Neither parent wanted Hugo in the room holding those images. Hermione looked ill, Rom looked stunned and ashamed. With a wave of his hand and a few murmured words Hugo replaced the pictures and the wards and handed the box to his mother. "These are yours mother. Please believe me when I say I never wanted you to see any of this, but they were accompanied by a note demanding that Scorpius steal certain items from his father's home or they would be published. After careful consideration, we realized this is not a decision we can make on our own".

Hermione was so proud of the children for coming forward. She also had a sneaking suspicion they had searched Malfoy Manor and realized that those items were no longer stored there, but she would take her victories where she could find them.

"Neville I will be using the Room of Requirement" he nodded "Ron, you might wish to remove yourself from my reach. Hugo, gather the others and meet me on the 7th floor in two hours for a family meeting please".

Hermione walked very calmly to the Room of Requirement asking nothing more of it than a place to vent her frustrations and hurt and anger. What she found was the same training grounds they had used for Dumbledore's Army. She quickly stripped and got in to the training gear and took her frustrations out on the very animated and life like training dummies both with spells and the kick boxing lessons she had taken. Law Enforcement training was vigorous but this was where it had all really begun, the fear the anger the loss. She called their names one by one as she kicked the dummies. For Cedric, Dean Thomas Sr, Mr. Bones, Mrs. Bones, Sirius, Mrs. Abbot, Dumbledore, Professor Burbage, Hedwig, Mad Eye, Dobby, Vincent Crabbe, Fred Weasley, Remus, Tonks, Colin, Professor Snape, and with one final hard kick and the Fallen 50 of the Battle of Hogwarts, fuck you Tom Marvolo Riddle, we beat you, you noseless son of a bitch". She finally collapsed to the matt panting when she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. Draco.

He knelt down and wiped away the tears she had not even known she had been crying. "Better"? She took his hand to stand up "No, not really". She walked over to the wall with their pictures of the fallen. He was surprised to see Vincent Crabbe. "Why" he asked motioning towards it. "This is MY training room, and I never wanted to fight any of you, I just wanted to focus on the real enemy. We were all victims of circumstance and upbringing. Children are taught to hate Draco. You weren't born with those ideas. I knew that. Vincent should not have had to die for them".

He was suddenly very aware of how very little her training uniform covered. The shorts left much of her leg exposed and the tank top had ridden up to just above her belly button. She was 37 with the body of a woman 10 years younger. While she stretched from her work out he was transfixed by the by the movement of her body. At the moment it did not matter that she was still technically a married woman, he took a step towards her when she said "The children will be here soon, I should shower" OK that mattered, children, and here soon. Forget that she is going to be naked in that shower. Right there. You are not an animal Malfoy, you can control your urges, I positively forbid you to get an erection. Why did nothing in his life listen to him any longer?

After her shower they stepped out so they could transform the RoR into a comforting living room with hot cocoa and cushiony pillows just in time for the children to arrive. They were not alone. Harry and Ginny were there as well. Harry did not look at all surprised to see Draco, just shook his hand.

After getting comfortable Hermione carefully discussed the legal proceedings both from the wizard world and the muggle world. "You do have a choice children, you may choose to live with me or your father" Both glared at her "I HAVE no father" declared Rose. "Rosie, you have to make peace with him" sighed Hermione "Why? I have plenty of Uncles, and older cousins enough father figures to go around. Besides, one day you will get married again, you aren't ugly mother, and you are bloody brilliant, some man is going to grab you up and then I will have a brand new father and…" Rose started crying "hopefully the next one won't be a total prat who shows off his new girlfriend while he still has a wife" the room was stunned, the pictures had not been discussed "WHAT" screamed Ginny "How do they..." she looked at James "Pictures Mum, someone sent Rosie and Hugo pictures" Ginny looked murderous "Harry I am going to need you to abuse your Auror authority to keep me out of Azkaban".

"ENOUGH" shouted Draco. "This is hard enough as is, Hermione needs to finish this and then be calmed by her family not further traumatized". Everyone in the room looked ashamed.

"Sorry mum", Rose and Hugo both said at the same time Ginny just looked down. "We do want to stay with you though" Hermione nodded "I will start looking for a place for us at once". Draco growled "You will do no such thing the west wing is plenty big enough and you are already settled in". When she started to protest he cut her off "We will discuss this at home, Hermione". She rolled her eyes. Everyone in the room seemed stunned to hear Draco refer to the manor as _their_ home and Hermione not protest it. "As soon as I start proceedings the press will pick it up anyway so it will be better if we hold a press conference. This may make things a bit more difficult than usual for you in Hogsmeade for a bit, even you Scorpius, since the press will want you to make statements, you have all been trained in this but your friends have not, there is nothing we can do about that, please try to avoid being expelled for fighting" she looked pointedly at Hugo and James who both rolled their eyes "And Rosie, it isn't ladylike to punch boys in the face". At this Harry coughed and Draco looked at her incredulously "What? Those were extenuating circumstances"

After cocoa and hugs the children were sent back to class. The adults looked at the pictures the children had been sent. Draco wanted to know from where the pictures of him and Hermione had been taken so he could set up better security and Ginny wanted to know how much would be left of Ron once she got a hold of him. Not much she decided not much at all. "My niece and nephew saw these? I will kill him". Hermione drew in a shuddering breath. "She came to see me, she says she is pregnant".

Ginny made a disgusted noise "Stupid cow. Rosie was right though Hermione. Your life is not over. My idiot brother never deserved you. The best things he ever gave you were your kids. If it had not been for the war throwing you together you honestly never would have been with him, you would have been sharing your life with someone who was perfect for you, who you did not have to explain every little thing to, who you could just sit there with and not _have_ to talk, who understood your passions your career and your life. Like me and Harry. I love my brother. I am going to kill him, but I still love him, but that never described you and Ron and it was never going to".

Hermione and Draco had both gone very still because they knew very well who it _did_ describe.


	7. Hermione Granger

**For those who have given reviews, thank you for taking your time. For the two who have had their reviews deleted I want to explain why. I am not going to include a review where the entire purpose is to point out that you do not much care for my punctuation. I respect your opinion. I tend to use a European style of punctuation and I am happy with it. If you are reading fiction for AP Punctuation Rules most of us leave those behind after uni. Just relax and enjoy the story lovey. I promise your agent will hire someone to fix that for you. If you would like to comment on the actual content as well I promise to include your review, even the part where you hate my punctuation style.**

 **And anyone who wants to merely state that something that does not agree with their preconceived concept of a character is "trash" and "bashing"? Please feel free to go back and re-read the original JK Rowing stories instead, they are AMAZING! I have chosen to develop Ron's character in a different direction. I do not see it as bashing, I see it as two people who got married at a very young age and grew apart, like so many young people do. Like many members of my own family have done, myself included, and I would like to think I am not "trash" for the mistakes I made in my youth thank you very much. If I had access to veritaserum I would have used it and worse I assure you. We all make mistakes we are not proud of. It does not make us monsters, it makes us human.**

Chapter 7

In the end Hermione agreed that she would stay largely because Draco was a better Slytherin than she was a Gryffindor, not that she would ever admit that to him. She was determined to prove how brave she was by moving out on her own. He was devious enough to pull out all of the stops to keep her there. She told him she needed to make her own way. He reminded her of the promise she had made to him, his son and her dear friend, his dead wife to never leave him alone. And yet she had been doing exactly that. This may have been understandable when she had to live with Weasley as his wife, but now it was just plain breaking a promise and being a bad friend.

They had Rose and Hugo's rooms set up that weekend. Tabby was happy to have more children to take care of and went over all of Molly's cookbooks that were made available to her so the children would have familiar foods.

Speaking of the venerable Weasley Matriarch, no one was more surprised than Hermione when those cookbooks were delivered by Molly herself. She was greeted by Draco first who was unsure what his reception would be, but Molly treated him like always, a hug and a kiss and instructions to "bring around tea if you please and someplace to have a sit down, there's a good boy". Draco rolled his eyes, older women had the knack for making him feel twelve again, his mother, McGonagal, Molly Weasley. It did not matter who they were, even here, master of his own manor, CEO of a major conglomerate in both the Wizarding and muggle worlds being bossed around like a house elf.

Molly was quite pleased with the tea he had summoned.

When Hermione came in she pulled her into a longer hug. "Oh Hermione, I am so sorry for Ron's deplorable behavior. I can't imagine where his father and I went so wrong. We take full responsibility for what he has done. We still consider you our very own daughter, nothing has changed between us". She paused to glance at Draco in the doorway "Though perhaps you feel differently now…"

Hermione looked up to see what Molly was looking at, or rather who in this case. "Molly, I am staying here with Draco because he opened his home to me as a _friend_ I would hope that the family would understand that Draco and I have had enough scandal to last both of us several lifetimes. There is nothing occurring in this household behind closed doors that would not occur on the front steps of the Ministry itself. My friendship with Draco did not change the way I felt about you before Ron's indiscretion nor has it changed the way I feel about you now. And only Ronald himself is responsible for how I feel about him".

Molly smiled warmly, and a bit cheekily "I wouldn't say that to George if I were you dear, I do believe his financial solvency may well rely on there being more than friendship as a motivator to your current living situation".

"Merlin" muttered Draco from the doorway "Is there nothing your family will not wager on"?

Molly thought long and hard and finally grinned "I wouldn't bet on it".

The press release went as well as could be expected. This is to say horrendous. The news had got out that not only was Ron involved with his assistant but that she was carrying his child. The Weasley children had not been made aware of the pregnancy and were rightfully shocked. The scandal was made more salacious by the due date. How had the "brightest witch of her age" failed to notice an affair that had gone on for several months? Was there any truth to the rumors that she and Draco Malfoy had been involved in their own affair during this time and that is why she had failed to notice or care about her husband's extramarital activities? Did she and Ron have an open marriage and if so why was the marriage suddenly over now? Was it because there was a new child involved?

Most of these questions were shot at here from one Rita Skeeter who had somehow managed to work her way back into a legitimate career as a gossip columnist. Although Hermione noticed the other reporters did not shy away from hover over their scrolls with quill in hand waiting for her answers. Not that they were going to get anything juicy, she had far too much press training to give away even the least bit of unintended information. The training was largely due to Rita's interference since her fourth year of Hogwarts. Although the vile witch kept trying to wheedle any tid bits she could and made up what she could not.

The press was also present during the signing of the dissolution of marriage signing. In the wizarding world any way. They had no idea the couple had been married in the muggle world, nor would they have cared if they had known. It was considered of little importance. Ah but two thirds of the Golden trio's marriage dissolving was certainly a big deal in the wizarding world. Property and galleons and certain rights had been granted to each of them and how this would be divided was tabloid fodder as lines were drawn regarding who deserved what. Many feeling that Ron deserved nothing for cheating on Hermione while others believed she had hit a gold mine with the Malfoy Heir and Ron should get it all. The children were never discussed which both delighted and disgusted the parents.

In the end it did not matter. All property that was granted to them separately remained the property of the individual and property gained during the marriage was put in trust for their children. Custody of the children, by the request of the children themselves, went solely to Hermione. Liberal visitation was granted to Ron, but only Hugo had taken advantage of it. Rose refused to see him at all and would leave her grandparents' home if he arrived, prompting Molly to all but ban Ron from the Burrow when the children were home from school.

The muggle divorce took longer but was even easier. Ron had no property to divide in the muggle world and all of Hermione's property consisted of trinkets left to her by her families and a small trust. They had to make up funds to explain why they were not on the public dole.

In the end the Hermione Granger-Weasley was no more. She was once again Hermione Granger and a simple flick of her wrist at her office door proclaimed this to the Ministry at large as the name plate on her office door was changed.

The footsteps behind her were comforting and familiar as was the hand placed on her shoulder. They went in to her office where she poured them both tea. "Did you ever imagine this was where we would wind up, Harry"? Hermione asked her best friend quietly "That Ron would do something so stupid that both of us would be ready to hex his bollocks off"? Harry replied "Absolutely. This? Absolutely not. But what do I know, I never thought we would survive this long. Ron and I anyway, we all knew you would be just fine. If nothing else you would have crawled into that manky little beaded bag with that mangy cat for a spot of afternoon tea and a bloody book to read until it all blew over". Hermione punched him in the arm, "Crooks was NOT mangy" her half kneazel cat Crookshanks had passed on some 5 years ago but had been her constant companion until then.

"Think you will ever forgive him Mione"?

"For which part? Cheating on me for months? Getting his assistant pregnant? So desperate to make me the bad guy he poisoned my tea with veritaserum? Which he abused his position as an Auror to get his hands on to start with? The pornographic pictures my children were sent of him and his new girlfriend? Which part am I forgiving him for exactly"?

"All of it? Any of it? Would it matter if you knew he was not seeing Cecilia"?

"No, it really doesn't matter if he is no longer with her Harry. If it was only me. probably, but his actions hurt the children. And not just mine. Yours are being dragged back through it, Scorpius is catching hell for it. The latest rumor is that Draco and I were carrying on while his mother was ill. That has to hurt".

"He knows that isn't true"

"It really doesn't matter, it is still being said, that damned Skeeter bitch is at it all over again".

"Yeah… she never really did get over you keeping her in a jar and blackmailing her".

This finally broke the ice and got them laughing and reminiscing about things other than Ron's affair and subsequent actions.


	8. Emo Without All the Glitter

**Thank you Morning Star, you are amazing sorry first post was unreadable, teach me to post without previewing! I would have replied privately but a recent experience taught me to shut off private messaging.**

 **Chapter 8**

One thing remained a constant in Hermione's life. Her personal life can be going to hell, whether it was an affair or risk of expulsion from school (she almost smiled at how proud Ron would be of the order she placed those two in … almost. Priorities "sorted enough" you git?) bad witches and wizards would still do awful things. And it did not take a maniacal bigoted dark wizard leading them to stir up trouble.

And right behind trouble being stirred up was the press as a constant in her life. The press had already decided that Hermione and Draco were a couple and that was that as far as the Wizarding world was concerned. It was not all bad. After the initial shock wore off, Draco and Scorpius were treated far more kindly by the community at large and as far as Hermione was concerned that made the initial awkwardness all worthwhile to watch her adopted nephew be able to walk down a street and have people smile at him for a change.

So it was no surprise to anyone when Hermione was made the new Head of Magical Law Enforcement that Draco was her escort. In public they were the perfect couple. He held out chairs for her, ushered her in to buildings with his hand on the small of her back. In private they even appeared to be the perfect couple they shared their day, read quietly, ate their meals together and were just.. together.. except appearances were deceiving. They most certainly were not together in any romantic sense.

They just looked like it. Even their outfits nearly always matched. Although this was largely due to the fact that they both nearly always wore black. Hers was required by her position and his, she mused, looking him up and down, was required by his being a morbid bastard. She snickered behind her hand.

"This is a solemn occasion, Granger, one being held in your honor, might I add, snickering at your dinner date is in poor form."

"How do you know I was snickering at you?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Rolling your eyes is just as bad."

"Yes, but nothing is being held in MY honor and I have fallen so far in their esteem they are just happy when I don't actually sneer at anyone."

She elbowed him in the ribs.

"You however are definitely NOT supposed to commit acts of bodily harm against anyone at these events. Tell her Harry." He said to their table companion.

"Leave me out of this; I am glad it is someone else going home with bruised ribs tonight."

After a few minutes of silence as other dinner guests arrived and stopped by their table and Hermione still had not told him what was so laughable, he finally broke.

"I am not accustomed to women eyeing my appearance and laughing Granger, out with it, what is so damned funny?"

"You look like an Emo 16 year old girl without all the fucking glitter."

He choked on the wine he had taken a sip of.

"I look like a WHAT without glitter?"

"You know, Emo, Goth." She took out her cell phone and showed him pictures "All the black with your pale coloring, it is morbid, Draco."

"Oh, so that is what we have planned for when we get home, a fight about my wardrobe?"

Ginny piped up "I don't know why you two keep saying you aren't "together" together because you so ARE, no one else does" she motioned her hand up and down between them "this if they aren't "together" together.."

"Quiet Ginny" they both said at the same time.

"YOU wear black all the time"

"My job requires it, yours does not. You used to wear different colors at Hogwarts Draco. Do you even own anything besides black now?"

"How the hell do you know what I used to wear at Hogwarts?"

"Well... you know… you were in Slytherin… you had to wear green…"

"You said colors… as in more than one. Why would you have been interested in what I was wearing Granger?"

Hermione had turned a deep scarlet as both Harry and Ginny were now giving her raised eyebrows of amusement now as well.

"Oh do shut up Malfoy, your appearance was NOT your problem."

"Did you just admit to having a school girl crush on me Granger?"

"I most certainly did not!"

"I think you most certainly did."

"Oh do be quiet Kingsley is getting ready to start." She was blushing down to the collar of her robes now.

Draco laughed quietly.

Just as the lights were dimmed but before Kingsley began to speak Draco leaned over dragging his lips lightly against her jaw up close to her ear "Later you will have to tell me what other things you 'just happened to notice', Granger" her stomach did a little flip and now it was her turn to choke on her wine.

"Careful Granger, it is also in poor form to require mouth to mouth just before you have to give a speech."

She swallowed "How do you even know about muggle rescue methods?"

"What muggle rescue methods?"

She stumbled over her speech and she blamed Malfoy. She had never been so tongue tied in all her life. Harry looked sympathetic, Ginny looked amused and Draco, damned his morbid, emo bastard hide, looked at her mockingly. She planned to invent a glittery spell that very night. She was going to get George Weasley to help her.

The pomp and circumstance was finally over. The usual crowd was all invited back to the manor for a small gathering to celebrate her promotion and a few of the not so usual crowd. Neville was there along with Hannah. The two rarely got out. As the Headmaster Neville found his duties kept him tied to Hogwarts more than he would like. George came with Angelina Roxanne and Freddy, Ron although invited for appearance sake, wisely stayed home.

George and Angelina walked out on to the balcony in time to hear Neville exclaim disbelievingly "You did NOT!"

Hermione and Draco were side by side leaning against a rail "We most certainly did" grinned Hermione and rolled up her sleeve to show Neville her tattoo of a dark mark.

George was very interested in the tattoo itself and whether or not they could be made with a magical ink to have other properties. He immediately started grilling Draco on how what when and where they were obtained while Angelina rolled her eyes torn between amusement, annoyance and tolerance.

"But… why would you get that Hermione?" Neville looked a bit green.

She shook her head laughing "Don't look so shocked Neville. It is only an image. Fear of a name or image increases fear of the thing itself. Didn't we teach that in D.A.? Didn't Dumbledore teach us that first? I needed to get this to let it all go. As long as I stayed afraid of it as long as I stayed afraid of what it meant that it was on Draco's arm it would always have a hold on me. Now? It is just one ugly mother of a snake and skull. "

Draco nodded and lifted up his sleeve to show a perfect tattoo replica of the carving of "mudblood" on Hermione's arm "Ditto. I had to stop going back to that night. I had to own it and let it go. Now it is just an ugly word that has no more hold on my life."

They turned their forearms together as they usually did and pressed those two ugly marks together entwining fingers. Those who were witnessing it for the first time knew it was a private and powerful bond of strength and forgiveness that they could not and did not find in anyone else.

The rest of the party was a joyful affair with old friends and new popping in and out from school and work. Old rivalries had long ago been washed away since the end of the war and end of school and beginning of adult lives and responsibilities did not allow room for whose house got more points. And who would give them points for doing a better job on a work report anyway?

By midnight Hermione was slightly tipsy but only slightly; she began her new duties at ten a.m. sharp and started seeing their guests out.

As soon as the last one was out she rounded on Draco "You did that on purpose!"

He had no problem picking up right where they had left off "You're damned right I did! I am not some Evo without glitter!"

"Emo, with an "m", you know, like the beginning of "morbid" and you are. And don't you dare blame it on mourning either you have been dressing this way for years!"

"Why do you care what I look like when I go out anyway? They are just clothes Hermione. They don't mean anything!"

"They do if it means you are means you are hurting or lonely or in pain I don't want you to feel any of those things because…" She realized she was shouting at him.

"Because…?" He asked quietly

"Never mind wear whatever you want it really isn't any of my business I am going to bed."

She stalked off to her room but he had no problem following her.

"Answer the damned question Granger."

"I don't remember the question, I have been drinking."

"You had exactly three glasses of wine half an hour apart."

She put a hand to her head. "I care about what happens to you. We are friends. That's why."

"Liar. If you had meant that you would have said that."

She turned to face the opposite wall away from him and put her hand on the bedpost.

She heard him walk up behind her just before his hand slipped around her waist. He took her hand from the bedpost and wrapped both arms around her and leaned down to whisper in her ear "I love you too Granger"


	9. 6 PM Sharp

Hermione froze. Did Draco just say he loved her? She was certain she misheard. Or misunderstood. He meant as a friend. A sister. His best friend. Nothing more. She had long come to terms with the nature of their relationship. Nice, safe, platonic. Nothing more. It had to be the alcohol that was making him run his thumb down the curve of her ear to her jaw and her neck. It was most assuredly the alcohol that made him follow that thumb with his lips and breath. And it was pure insanity that made him pull her firmly back against his chest and his very obvious arousal.

And the insanity was clearly the contagious sort because Hermione turned in his arms and pressed herself fully against him as he captured her lips with his own. She could not tell who the soft moan came from, him or her when he finally coaxed her mouth open to sweep his tongue inside. She decided it no longer mattered when he turned her back towards the bed and gently pressed her back down into her comforters reaching for the top button of her robe with a questioning almost pleading look in his eyes. Understanding what he was asking Hermione made a small wave and both of their clothing was gone. Folded into neat piles on top of her dresser. He started to roll his eyes at her less than passionate display of ripping their clothes off when she moved in a way that made him forget anything else for the rest of the night.

The next morning Hermione woke to find herself pulled into Draco's arms while he watched her sleep. He had a slightly worried look on his face that disappeared as soon as she smiled at him.

"No regrets Granger?"

"Just the one."

"That you have to run off to work and leave me here thinking about you all day by my lonesome?"

"No, you have work to do and meetings all day. I know your schedule Malfoy and don't try to skiv off of it."

He pretended to be hurt. "If it is not the thought of leaving my bed that is your regret then what is it?"

"We are in MY bed I will remind you."

"Semantics."

"My only regret is that the press pegged us a couple long ago. I do so hate proving them right."

He laughed and slapped her bare butt as she got up to shower before work. It was a good thing she woke up early because he decided not two minutes after hearing the water start that joining her was a very good idea. And then recalling that she had never confessed she loved him refused to let her out until she professed undying love for him AND admitted her school girl crush. The latter of which she refused to do until the water was iced cold, something she was sure he had done magically since she never recalled it getting cold before.

As she was getting dressed he got a good look at her lingerie.

"Merlin Granger is that ALWAYS what you wear under your work clothes?!"

She looked down at her matching silver and green lace bra and panties set with full garters holding up her stockings. "No, I have several sets in different colors matching my outfits. Why?"

He groaned. "Now I am going to have that image in my head all day."

She laughed "Good thing you did not see me get dressed at Hogwarts then."

His eyes grew wide "You didn't dress like this then?"

She laughed "Since fifth year. If we were going to die I wasn't going to do it wearing cotton knickers. I decided I deserved something nice and the habit stuck."

He groaned she was going to be the death of him. He grinned wickedly as a thought occurred to him.

"You do know you are wearing Slytherin colors don't you?"

She shrugged "I hadn't given it much thought to be honest. I bought a pant suit that I liked and these colors match it." She spun around wearing just the lingerie and her heels. "I take it you approve?"

His eyes turned a much darker shade of grey as he reached for her "I think we should both skiv off of work today."

She laughed "Not a chance it is my first day and you have an ambassador from Bulgaria to meet with."

"Fine, but tonight we are not going out I don't care if the Prime Minister himself invites us."

She kissed him lightly "Deal. You have become oddly possessive in a very short period of time."

He slipped his arms around her now fully clothed waist "I have always been possessive of you. I convinced you to live with me a year ago, you don't date other men and we eat every meal together, Granger. I have just been waiting for you to realize you belong to me."

Her mouth hung open. "It cannot have been a year? A year since when?"

"Today actually. Happy anniversary, love." He took advantage of her open mouthed surprise to kiss her thoroughly and then began to trail kisses down her neck. She realized she needed to gain control of the situation before it got completely out of hand and pushed him gently back.

"Just how long were you prepared to wait until I came to this realization?"

"As long as it took. Or exactly one year before I dragged you to my bed. Whichever came first?" He gave her that lopsided smirk he knew she could not resist and went back to kissing her neck this time sliding one hand up her thigh.

With a frustrated moan she pushed him off of her. "Malfoy you are going to make me late. Go to work!"

He laughed and released her. "Fine. But I intend to continue this promptly at 6 P.M. sharp wherever you happen to be. If you don't want to be embarrassed I would suggest you be here."

"Behave yourself. Meetings run late. I cannot just leave" she laughed slapping his arm.

"I have never been known to behave myself Granger. 6 P.M."

With a final laugh she left for work. He was such a serious man usually it was good to see him in such a teasing playful mood. She did not for one moment believe he had any intention of hunting her down and continuing to … she shuddered at the thought of what he intended to continue… wherever she happened to be. Although the thought was a bit titillating.

She should have known better. She really should have. She had known him since she was eleven years old. He had never in his entire life been what anyone would call a "good boy". Draco Malfoy was many things. Devilishly handsome. Ungodly talented with his tongue in more ways than one. And when he promised to do something unseemly he meant to do exactly that.

It had been a long tedious day. She had to meet the head of every department she would be working with. At least Harry was there to represent the Aurors so that made that particular task bearable and they had managed to do it over lunch. It had been nice catching up with him. She talked about Draco of course. Harry had been supportive of her pursuing a romantic relationship. In fact had told her it was about bloody damned time. And no he did not think her kids would mind. They loved Draco. And they wanted her to be happy. Besides they already thought she and Draco were together and just hiding it very poorly.

Hermione had rolled her eyes at this. "Is that what everyone thinks" Harry chewed a piece of his pie and nodded "Pretty much. Come on Hermione, it has been pretty obvious for a long time that you two are crazy about each other. You keep saying he is just your best friend, but that is not true. I am your best friend. We don't go around with our arms linked with matching tattoos and making love struck eyes when we think the other one isn't looking".

Hermione had thought about this on and off all day. She wondered what had taken them so long to come together. Maybe just that neither wanted to lose what they had if it didn't work out. What they already had was special in a way not even what she and Ron had was. She could not lose that. She would be lost without him. She was so deep in thought she almost missed the figure leaning against a post in the hallway leading to her office. She gave a start.

"Draco! You scared me half to death! What are you doing here?"

"It is 6:05 P.M. Granger." His eyes were full of mischief and a dark promise.

She narrowed her own eyes at him "What are you up to?"

"I gave you fair warning" he said, loosening his tie as he walked towards her "You have two options. Your office is down that hall" he pointed behind him "or you can stay in the hallway. Either way I fully intend to finish what we started this morning just like I promised."

Hermione's eyes went wide as he caught up with her and pulled her into an embrace, kissing her neck and sliding his very talented fingers up the inside of her thigh, making her legs turn to jelly. As he sucked at a very sensitive pulse point she managed to choke out "Office..."

He chuckled darkly and swept her up in his arms, never breaking contact with the flesh between her shoulder and neck. She knew he was biting and sucking her there hard enough to leave a mark. A primitive part of her wanted him to. She growled low in her throat. She had never allowed Ron or anyone else to do that. She hated being marked like a possession. But with Draco it was different. She wanted both of them to know she belonged to him.

He kicked open the door to her office. All he had been thinking about all day was that damned lingerie she had been wearing. When he found out the knickers unsnapped at the crotch he vowed to buy out entire stock rooms full of the stuff in every color imaginable. But mostly silver and green.

Later Hermione was certain she would never be able to look her ficus in the... eye? Leaves? Flowers? Again.


	10. Dennis Creevey

**This is an interlude chapter. It introduces an important plot direction for this story, but also introduces briefly two characters for a companion piece to this story, Gabrielle Delacour and Dennis Creevey. I have sequels planned for this story but Dennis and Gabriella will likely have their own seperate and distinct storline only briefly intersecting with this one.**

 **Enjoy**.

Chapter 10

Extracurricular office activities notwithstanding, Hermione's first week on the job was not an easy one. The case load was overwhelming the entire department. There were increasing attacks on muggleborn and half borns. Nothing on the level of those during the war, but enough to worry the new Head of Magical Law Enforcement.

There was a lot of blame being placed squarely on the shoulders of escaped death eaters and their sympathizers, but so far no one had stepped up to take the credit, and their leads were slim.

All of the victims had been attacked while alone, memories wiped or altered and all they could remember was being attacked by individuals wearing what appeared to be death eater masks. Five attacks so far, all increasing in brutality, although no deaths so far, thank Merlin, and the pressure was on her department to get it solved.

The press wanted to know why aurors were not being called in to handle the new death eater threat, and no matter how many times they were told there was absolutely no proof any death eaters escaped or otherwise had actually been involved, and that the auror department was not called in to handle every case of battery no matter what costume the perpetrator wore, it was becoming a PR nightmare very quickly. Those who had been attacked were prominent and wealthy members of society and seemed to have been chosen to make a statement.

Except no statement was forthcoming. Hermione was stymied. She had just finished a morning meeting with her team going over what they already knew, whicj wasn't much, and strategizing for the coming week when her assistant Randy let her know she had a visitor. She liked Randy, he had moved up with her from her raw recruit to her go to assistant when he was injured on the job and could no longer do field work. Now she was certain her entire office would fall apart without him. The young man he ushered in, with a slightly wicked grin at the young man's hind quarters, Randy was an equal opportunity admirer of the human form, was familiar to Hermione and it took her just a few moments to recognize him. When she did she came from around her desk to hug him

"Dennis! It has been too long!" She had always had a soft spot for the youngest member of Dumbledore's Army. She knew Harry had never quite got over the death of Dennis' brother Colin. It was one of those that haunted him to this day. She motioned for him to sit down. "What brings you in today? I will warn you, if you are looking for an inside scoop, I would be far more likely to give you one than anyone else, but there is literally nothing else to tell."

Dennis sat down and laughed "Your problem has always been that you are too honest for your own good Hermione, try to hold something back so the press feels like they wheedled something out of you." She let out something between a laugh and a sigh and poured them both a mug of tea "Yeah, yeah, you and Draco. I have heard that lecture before."

"So you and Draco Malfoy, huh? Care to give an old friend an inside scoop on that relationship?" Dennis flashed her the award winning smile that had women, men and most higher forms of plant and animal life swooning. "As an old friend? Absolutely? As a sneaky member of the press? Not on your life." Dennis laughed again, "I will take what I can get, but maybe over lunch. I actually came here for a reason. Beyond your brilliant mind and scintillating conversation of course."

"Flatterer, you are not going to bat your eyes and sweep me off to your bed where I will spill all of my secrets to you Creevey." He pretended mock offense "Hey I have other techniques I will have you know!" she raised an eyebrow "OK, so I also go with what works."

She rolled her eyes. Dennis Creevey had gone from being the most adorable, if slightly overly enthusiastic, younger brother of one of Harry's greatest admirers to a battle front reporter known for reporting on the most dangerous topics and situations all over the globe. Whenever he was in town he, Hermione, Ron and Harry usually managed to get together and catch up. He was also known for some unorthodox methods of getting information from his female targets usually in very private intimate settings. Also usually resulting in not a few scandals in his career.

"OK, OK but still, I have an actual reason for coming to see you. You remember Gabrielle?"

"Fluer's sister? Yes, I remember her, of course I do, she is, or rather was my sister in law. Sort of. Why?"

Given his reputation Hermione was a bit suspicious of his intentions. Not that Gabrielle needed it, she had followed her brothers in law examples and became a full fledged auror who happened to enjoy dragon taming expeditions with Charlie as a hobby. A HOBBY. Hermione shuddered inwardly. No, Gabrielle did not need Hermione's protection.

'There are rumors of trouble brewing with the goblins in France. There are further rumors that they may be employing veela to distract humans from their activities."

"What activities?"

"That is what I want to find out, but Gabriella has been resistant to my charms…"

"And by resistant you mean…?"

"She hates me."

"Oh Dennis, I am sure she doesn't… hate is a strong word, why would you think she hates you?" Gabrielle was such a kind woman, incredibly compassionate, Hermione could not imagine her hating anyone.

"She told me so. In those exact words 'I hate you Dennis Creevey' and then she punched me in the jaw. I assure you, hate may be a strong word, but I dare say she would not find it strong enough for her depth of disgust for me."

Hermione sighed "Why did she punch you Dennis?"

"She may believe I broke up her friend's marriage.

"Why would she believe that?"

"I may have been caught in bed with her friend's wife."

"May have been or were caught in bed with her friend's wife?"

"OK, I was caught in bed with her, but it was completely innocent … mostly innocent" he clarified seeing the look of irritation on Hermione's face "We were not having sex, we had not just had sex and we were not preparing to have sex."

"Then what WERE you doing?"

"The problem is I can't explain that to you or her or anyone."

"OK, what do you want me to do Dennis?"

"Get her to agree to let me go on the assignment with them. Please Hermione, it is really important. My whole career could be made on this one story."

"Your career is already made, Dennis, you are one of the most easily recognizable reporters in the world."

"OK, fair enough, still it is really important to me. And I don't come hat in hand; I have some information for you about the current investigation you are conducting into the muggleborn attacks. I got a few contacts to look in to things for you. I have names of targets this group intends to hit."

This got Hermione's attention. "How did they get this? How reliable is it? Who are these contacts?"

"I don't know, pretty reliable if vague, and I won't answer that last one and you know it."

He slid an envelope across to her. "Fine Dennis, I will ask her. No promises, but I will be MY most convincing. Now, let's go grab lunch while you tell me all about this ambassador's wife you have scandalized."

 **A quick update to this chapter for my reviewers. First thank you so much. You have taken the time out of your day to add commentary and I appreciate it!**

 **Now to answer some specific comments: To my Guest Reviewer. I really should have combined chapters 1 and 2 into a prologue and if I ever decide to do a rewrite I will do just that. I love the character of Astoria in theory more than in practice. I did not want to ignore her entirely but for many, Hermione having a relationship outside of Ron feels wrong and I tried to keep that in mind with the character of Astoria here. If I fully fledged that character into someone we were all rooting for and then to kill her off and make it feel like Hermione is replacing her in addition to the Ron Hermione divorce drama it would have been a little over the top for my tastes. So I kept her part short and, hopefully, respectful. I appreciate that your biggest criticism is that you wanted MORE that is always great to hear!**

 **Lollylocked, I agree, some of the writing where Ron is completely demonized bothers me. Not just because it is OOC but because it is so overly done and just plain sloppy. Drama drawn from real life requires a more delicate touch and more thought but I feel like it pays off better in the end**

 **Ren, thank you! I was rather like Hermione in my youth, annoying know it all attitude at times included, lol. And having been through a divorce due to an affair I did feel like I came through it a badass at the end.**

 **Roon0 you are the bomb! Glad you are loving the story.**


	11. Colin Creevey

**For no other reason than I felt like his death deserved better than three lines in the book and a brief scene in the movie. colin was a brave plucky little guy with he heart of a lion.**

Chapter 11

"So what is this I hear about you having lunch with a notorious, skirt chasing, whore mongerer." Draco asked her over dinner, causing her to choke on her pasta.

"Excuse me?" She sputtered after sever gulps of water.

"Breathe Granger, it was a joke. One of my assistants happened to mention you had lunch with a reporter and then mentioned that reporter's reputation is all."

She laughed "He does have quite the reputation. In fact I took him to lunch trying to get the juicy bits of his latest scandal out of him."

"Naughty witch. Were you successful?" He was vastly amused.

"No, it is one part of his life he refuses to share with me, whether he shares with Harry and Ron I have no idea." She looked miffed at the idea causing him to laugh again.

"So… who is he?"

"Dennis Creevey, a friend from Hogwarts."

"Wait… isn't he that reporter who won that prize for writing about the Giant Wars a couple of years ago?"

"The one and the same."

"I don't remember him at all."

"He was a couple of years behind us."

"Robbing the cradle in Hogwarts, Granger?"

"No, not exactly. He was the youngest member of Dumbedore's Army."

"I see, and how did that happen?"

"His brother was Colin Creevey. The one who was always following Harry around taking pictures."

"Right Saint Potters biggest fan." He teased.

She stood up and walked to the balcony. "Don't. Not this one Draco, please don't." He could tell she was close to tears.

"Hey" he said softly coming up behind her "That was supposed to be a joke. I thought we were past all of this."

"Not Colin. I am not sure Harry or I will ever be over Colin. I got him killed Draco. It was my fault. Harry had to see his tiny little body."

"Hermione, you can't blame yourself for every death that happened…"

"Not all of them but this one is all me. I let him in. I gave him the coin."

"Tell me. You know that is the only way you will ever get through it."

"I do know that. I hope Harry has someone like you. It all started with Umbridge. She was useless on purpose and we needed to teach people how to defend themselves. Colin was so desperate to learn after he was paralyzed by the Basilisk." Draco nodded now he knew why the name was so familiar "He came to the first meeting with Dennis, he never wanted his brother to be afraid. After everyone signed the agreement I made coins that warmed when D.A. members were needed. It could be small scale or full scale summonings. And we trained. Hard. I think Dennis may be the youngest person ever to produce a fully corporeal patronus. The youngest one I have ever heard of any way. And I researched it. The next youngest was his brother."

Draco thought she may very well be correct. He had never been able to produce one until after Scorpius was born. He wondered what happy memory the boys had used to produce theirs.

"Colin Creevey was the bravest boy I ever knew. His first year he was paralyzed by a Basilisk and you know what he did the next year?" Draco shook his head "He came right back, plucky little guy. That year he watched as Harry brought Cedric's body back and proclaimed that Voldemort had returned. An evil dark wizard who wanted him and everyone like him dead. And you know what he did the next year?"

Draco whispered "He came back?"

"With his little brother in tow and joined Dumbledore's Army. And got caught by…"

"Me." Said Draco sadly.

"Mmmmm…. And Umbridge tortured him and his brother. And the next year he came back and Dumbledore died. And that was the last year he was allowed to return as a student. But when I sent out a mass call for the Battle of Hogwarts he snuck right back in and fought for a school that damned sure never fought for him. And he got killed doing it." Tears were streaming down her face now. "He cast petrificus totalus on Dennis to keep him away. The spell ended with Colin's death. If I had taken that stupid coin away, if I had never let those two little boys join…" Draco pulled her into his arms and held her while she cried saying nothing. There was nothing he could say. Colin _had_ deserved better.

"So now whenever Dennis needs me, or just wants lunch I am there. I will always be there." Hermione snuggled deeper into his chest.

"Out of guilt?" Draco stroked her hair.

"Because he is my friend and because it is the least I can do for Colin." She hiccupped.

"So what is this favor he wants?"

"How do you know he wants a favor?"

"Because he asked to see you alone."

"Oh right. He wants me to smooth things over with Gabrielle Delacour."

"Your sister in law?"

"Yes, he really pissed her off. She hit him."

Draco laughed "And now he wants to be castrated by a dragon?"

"He gave me leads on my case for that information."


	12. Arrests

**Chapter 12**

And some leads they were. Times, places, dates. Whoever Dennis' lead was they were damned impressive. Hermione was practically rubbing her hands in glee over dinner.

Draco laughed "I never thought I would see you this excited about anything you hadn't found in a dusty old book. Unless, of course, it was the dusty old book itself."

She smiled up at him "Oh, I don't know… I seem to recall being pretty impressed by an afterhours office visit. I still can't quite face my ficus."

He grinned wickedly, "Really? Then I will have to arrange a few more office visits. And maybe bring in a new plant…"

"Draco Malfoy, don't you dare! I have visitors in that office."

He waggled his eyebrows "Perhaps, but none as entertaining."

"Well… Madame Pince did come by once with a book that was being retired she wanted to give me as a gift."

"Did you honestly just compare me to a dusty old librarian?"

"Well... it was really more about the book…"

"Of course, as if I had believed otherwise. It does seem you need a refresher course in practical application of skill over book learning."

"Why Mr. Malfoy" she teased "I cannot imagine what you think I could practice in a physical setting that I could not read in a book."

He moved towards her so suddenly she squealed. Scooping her up and tossing her over his shoulder he gave her a firm swat on her backside. "Then you Ms. Granger, have been neglecting your studies. Shameful. What would your professors say about their Gryffindor Princess having fallen so far behind?"

She giggled as he carried her towards their room "Let them get their own Slytherin Prince to corrupt them. I already found mine."

"Sullivan, Ranquist, I need the two of you covering the front, Farrin, Solona you two will cover the rear, Arnaud and Whittaker cover the side entrance. We cannot afford to screw this up." Hermione had planned tonight's operation thoroughly. According to Dennis' lead the halfbood heir of Zonko Joke Shop fortune was the target.

Zonko had joke shops all over the wizarding world and late in life had married and had a son with a muggleborn. Now, according the lead dennis had provided, this heir was in danger and the attack was to be carried out this night at a popular young wizarding nightclub known as The Coven. Hermione was determined not only to stop the attack but to capture the perpetrators putting an end to the attacks once and for all.

Against her wishes Kingsley had forbidden her to be present during the actual take down. And Draco had annoyingly agreed with him. Irritated by their high handed assumption that she could not handle herself in a wand to wand fight, after all, she had helped take down Voldemort himself. Hermione had no choice but to capitulate.

She spent the night instead pacing back and forth in her office waiting for news. A thump at her door startled her. Not a knock precisely but something was definitely thumping at her door. Opening it she found Draco with an armload of take out and a bottle of wine.

She glared at him as she stood aside to let him unload. Unperturbed he grinned back. "I knew you would not leave to get dinner, so I brought it to you."

She had to admit to being somewhat grateful. Slightly. But she was still annoyed and let him know with her frowns.

"Now, love, you know in your position you cannot go brawling in an alley. How would it make your officers look if you were to take down all of the bad guys by yourself?"

"Plus this ridiculous notion you and Kingsley have that I will end up damaged in some way."

"There is that. I want you to come home with all of my favorite parts still firmly attached. After all, I intend to make liberal use of them on a regular basis."

"You already do that" she grumbled.

"Are you complaining?" he asked with his best lascivious smirk.

"One day your charm is going to wear off Malfoy."

"Oh undoubtedly, but that day is not this day." He put their dinner on her desk and stalked towards her purposefully with a gleam in his eye.

"What are you up to Malfoy?

"Taking your mind off of the wait."

She had to admit, he was very good at taking her mind off of waiting for news.

When the arrests were made they were exactly who Hermione had expected. And somehow, not at all who she has expected at the same time.

Four pureblood sons and daughters of known death eaters were waiting for her to interrogate down in the cells below the ministry. Two women, Alicia and Alyssa Gibon, the twin daughters of Alec Gibbon who had fired the dark mark the night Dumbledore was killed, Jude Nott, son of Theodore Nott, and Corban Yaxley Jr.

All very plausible suspects. Their parents would certainly have twisted their minds enough to hate anyone not pureblood. But she could not help as she looked across at Draco while looking down at the names that his father had done the same. That he had lived in the same home with Voldemort himself and had not come out the other end the sort of man who would attack people for their blood status outside of a nightclub.

Draco watched her pace and asked quietly "Not what you were expecting?"

"No…. the names were… and should be exactly who I was expecting and still…" she resumed pacing.

He waved a hand towards the memo asking permission and she nodded dismissively. Reading the names he sighed bitterly. "They are as good as condemned then, infamous ancestry, caught red handed. The trial will be a joke."

She frowned "I… just feel like this is too.. neat. I don't trust things that are too neatly finished."

He looked at her in surprise "Hermione… they were caught attacking someone wearing death eater masks. I don't like it because it may well restart old prejudices but… this seems pretty cut and dry."

"What if it were you or Scorpius, would you want me to treat it so cut and dry then? What if…?"

He came and wrapped his arms around her from behind "Love, it would never be me or Scorpius, you know that."

She turned and buried her face into his chest and nodded. "That is the problem" she said "I DO know, I believe in you 100%. These kids have no one to believe in them."

He stroked her back "Hermione... not everyone deserves for you to believe in them. Maybe you are too close to this; maybe you should let someone else…"

"NO!" she cried "then they really wouldn't get a fair investigation. I just have to be more objective."

"Alright love, alright. I will see you at home tonight." He collected his cloak kissed her one last time and left.


	13. Interogations

**Chapter 13**

In the interrogation room she decided to start with Jude Nott. She had known his father… sort of. As well as she had known any of the crowd that Draco hung around with.

Theo had, as she recalled, been something of a loner. He never joined any cliques and had no real part in the war, unlike his father. All accounts suggested that he had been much happier when his father was killed and he had done well for himself since the war ended. He had a respectable business creating magical items, brilliant at it was the word, and any stigma attached to the name Nott from his father he was well on his way to removing completely. It did not make sense for his son to be caught up in this. Not that children always took after their parents as she well knew.

Hermione observed the suspect through the window before entering the rooms. Jude was an attractive young man with black hair and piercing blue eyes. He looked confused and frightened. The arrogance of a true death eater even after having been caught was missing from his countenance.

Of course with no Voldemort there were no true death eaters, just very disturbed bigots. She had to remind herself that objective did not mean they automatically got the benefit of the doubt either.

Gwen Sullivan, one of the arresting officers accompanied her down to the interrogation chambers.

"What was your impression of the suspects Gwen?"

The younger officer took her time in answering, it was one of the things Hermione had come to rely on in her. Able to think quickly and react with near preternatural precision in an emergency, Gwen could always be relied on to give a well thought out answer and her reports were straight to the point. No extra fluff to wade through.

"They were ranting about blood purity when we caught them. And their intent was made quite clear. They seemed proud of their actions gave the press quite the story to write up."

"Press? The press was there?" Hermione had not been told this. "How did they know to show up?"

"I doubt they did, to be fair. That place is sure something. It has the elite of the elite as clientele and there was some sort of event happening. It seemed they were just in the wrong place at the right time."

"Makes sense."

"When we got them here their tune changed rather quickly. They claim to have had no intent to attack anyone that night. They say they don't know where the masks came from. They remember attacking but they claim to have no memory of planning an attack." Gwen looked thoughtful. "Of course it is not unusual for criminals to protect their own asses once they get here but…"

"But?" Hermione continued to watch the young man and noticed his hands trembling slightly.

"I can't put my finger on it, call it a gut instinct, and I have nothing to back up my beliefs, but …"

"But you believe them?"

"I don't disbelieve them."

Hermione nodded and entered the chamber.

Jude Nott looked up at her. She could not help but notice he looked terrified. She knew all of the suspects were young, only just having graduated Hogwarts. He watched her approach and then hung his head.

"Great" he breathed "if you are here my room in Azkaban must already be booked."

"I don't decide guilt or innocence Mr. Nott, I am only here to get at the truth."

"Yeah, like I have a chance at walking out of here with you on the case."

She watched him awhile. She understood why Gwen was so torn, at least with this one. He just did not seem to fit the bill of what she had come to expect from bigoted death eater fanatics.

"Why don't you tell me what happened."

He shrugged "I really don't know… Alicia, Allie and I planned to meet Corb and go clubbing. We had not planned to go to the Coven tonight, but it seemed as good a place as any. Then we saw a guy get up and go outside. All I knew was that we had to put on our masks and go outside and hurt him."

"What was your prior relationship with Zachary Zonko?"

"None, I didn't even know his name until after we were arrested."

"My officers said you were spouting some pretty radicalized ideology about blood purity when they arrived."

"I remember doing that but I don't have any reason to hate muggleborns or halfbloods."

She raised an eyebrow at him "You claim you were shouting things that you don't believe in? For what purpose?"

"I… don't have an answer for that."

"I see…" her lips pursed.

"No, wait, I don't have an answer for that because I don't believe in that stuff. My dad raised me to believe all people were the same."

She looked at him for a long time saying nothing before continuing her questioning.

She got nothing further from him nor the three others she interrogated. Although part of that, she reflected, was due to their counsel arriving. She was surprised she got so far with Jude.

Later that night at home as she was going over her notes Draco knocked on her office door. She looked up smiling, glad for a moments rest when she froze. Theodore Nott was standing beside him.

"Mr. Not…."

"Ms. Granger. I… I know it is unusual for me to approach you given the current circumstances…"

"It is flat out of line Mr. Nott."

He nodded. "I just need to have some news of my son. Please …"

Hermione sighed pinching her nose. "Come in, have a seat. I cannot share any case details with you, I hope you understand that."

"I do, I just need to know if he is OK and if… hell" he muttered finally.

Her heart went out to him. No matter his past at the moment he was a father. "Please, Theo, sit down and have a brandy. It will help."

"Thank you. I… have no idea what to say. I know my son was caught and that he screamed his confession in front of several reporters but… this is so out of character for him. Jude is a good kid. He was raised better than this."

Hermione poured him a brandy. "He is shaken up understandably, but he is uninjured." She tented her fingers "He did say you had raised him to believe all people were the same regardless of blood status."

"I did my best, but this…"

"The other attacks, do you know where Jude was during those times?"

"I am not certain exactly when the other attacks took place… they did not seem to involve me until now."

Hermione pulled up the information about the other attacks "I can tell you where he was Sept. 3rd. The first is my birthday we were in Italy on vacation. The other two… I don't know. At his age he rarely tells me his plans. Clearly."

Hermione nodded. It was possible the other three had carried out that attacks themselves. One being out of town proved nothing.

"Captain Granger"

"Hermione, please"

He nodded "Hermione… my son, Azkaban will destroy him. What can I do?"

"Hire excellent counsel and follow their advice. I am afraid that is the best I can do for you." She slid across a piece of paper "These are visiting hours. Visit your son. Hire counsel."

Theo stood up and shook her hand. "Thank you for meeting with me, I was not certain you would given…"

"Given that your son is a purblood accused of attacking muggleborns and I am a muggleborn?"

He looked embarrassed, but nodded. "Theo, I am only interested in the truth. I consider this an ongoing investigation. No one has been convicted of anything yet."

Theo nodded and Draco saw him to the floo. When he returned she was staring out the window. He wrapped his arms around her and stood with her staring out into the night. He knew how much this action helped her center herself in the midst of turmoil.

The press was having a field day with high profile purebloods attacking muggleborns and halfbloods. As far as public opinion went the Death Eater Four, as the press had dubbed them, were already convicted. And that was just the way Kingsley and the other heads preferred it.

Hermione however could not shake the feeling that something was wrong and continued digging. She knew when she went to see the Minister to present her findings he was going to be hard to convince.

She hated being right.

"Granger" Kingsley started "the case is closed. They were caught red handed. Sometimes there is no deeper meaning. These kids are little bigoted shits who will face the full Wizengamot for their actions. I appreciate that as head of the Investigative Department you find this difficult to accept, but not everything requires more investigation."

Ignoring him, she continued with her findings "In each instance there were four masked attackers. In each instance at least one of this group was missing from that number."

"So what you are saying is there may be more out there?"

That wasn't necessarily what she was saying but anything that allowed her to keep the case open was a win in her book. "That others are involved seems in controvertible, sir."

"Very well, find the rest bring them in. Let the Auror dept. know if you need their assistance."


	14. Definitely NOT a Takedown

Chapter 14

Hermione's first thought was that the four had been Imperio'd in to acting the way they had, but when Imperio'd the victim remembers a feeling of euphoria during the incident and none remembered feeling that.

They all knew enough not to admit to being involved in the other attacks, if they had been.

There was only one certain way to get the absolute truth out of them. Hermione stared down at the warrant in her hand. Their counsel had fought her tooth and claw. She had fought back. He heart had not been in it. It had made her sick. But she knew her duty. She looked from the warrant to the four identical vials before her.

Veritaserum.

How could she justify using this on four people after what had been done to her? She argued with herself that it was not the same, but wasn't it?

She stood accused of an action she was not guilty of, but someone else was.

They stood guilty of actions she believed someone else played a part in.

She was poisoned against her will.

She was poisoning them against their will.

Her free will had been stripped from her.

She was stripping their free will.

She could see Ron's smirking face.

Her hands began to shake. She could not do this. She just could not. A tear slid down her cheek.

She had not even heard the door open when a hand fell on her own. She looked up into the concerned face of her best friend.

"Harry…" she started shakily.

"It's alright Mione. I knew you could probably use a hand today."

"I…I can't do it…."

"You don't have to." He swept up the bottles and the warrant. "You have always been the one to get the information. I think it is time I took a turn. But if the situation calls for getting an egg from a pissed off dragon that is all you sister."

She laughed weakly at this and nodded.

In an hour he came back with notes.

"It seems that before each attack they met with the same woman. She was always hooded and masked but they were given something to drink and a phrase was repeated over and over again: I **magine** going into trance. **Imagine** yourself drifting on a calm and beautiful river. Picture your muscles becoming loose and limp. See yourself feeling completely relaxed. Then **imagine** enjoying the most exquisite trance experience."

Hermione looked puzzled. "Wait, what is that? That isn't magic…that sounds like.."

"Hypnosis?" Offered Harry.

"Precisely. But what was in this potion?"

"Probably something to make the hypnosis work like magic. Muggle hypnosis can't make people act against their nature. It doesn't control the like Imperio. But since most wizards would not know it or even think to suspect it, it would be damned near impossible to detect. Brilliant. Evil, but brilliant."

"Where did they meet this woman? Were there others involved? When would they have met her next?" Hermione rapid fired questions at Harry.

"Hold up tigress, we have all of that right here, but you know damned well Kingsley and Draco specifically do not want you physically present during any takedowns. I am perfectly willing to go up against one for you but both? I'd rather ride another dragon out of Gringotts with Griphook firing stinging hexes at my bollocks."

Hermione laughed at the image.

"Come on Harry, neither of us are so old as all of that. And besides this is NOT a takedown. We are going out to investigate. You are aware of my job title yes? Head of the _Investigation Department_? I am going out to investigate. Just an investigator with her trusty Auror sidekick."

"Excuse me? Auror sidekick? If anything _you_ are _my_ sidekick. And who said anything about being old? For your information I was mocking you for being a girl." He grinned as she slugged him in the arm "and you hit like a girl too. She hit him again "OW! A really mean girl!"

"So we are going right?"

He sighed "We are going. But just to be perfectly clear, absolutely NO take downs."

She never was good at taking orders.

It all started out simple enough, they requisitioned disguise cloaks from the armor, no way were both of them going to fit under Harry's invisibility cloak these days.

They entered the little dive pub in Knocturn Alley, well aware that no decent witch or wizard should be caught dead in this place, but also knowing that teenagers and young adults sometimes make very foolish choices to show how "with it" they were.

It wasn't long before four well dressed young people came in, two young men and two young women. Their targets certainly liked them in pairs.

Before long the foursome was approached by one of the filthy denizens who inhabited this place. They would have ignored him if they had not heard him clearly and distinctly say "drifting on a calm and beautiful river isn't it" and the four got up to follow him outside.

Hermione knew they could not wait and motioned Harry to follow her.

"Investigating, watching, calling for back up, that is the plan, remember?"

"And so you want to sit back while he kidnaps those four young kids and forces them to do his bidding? Harry James Potter" she hissed "Don't you DARE!"

He sighed and followed her. He guessed he was the sidekick after all.

They were just in time to see the man leading the teens around the building in to an alley and hurried after them.

In the alley Hermione shouted "Stop in the name of the Minstry!" as she did so her cloak caught on a drain spout and pulled it from her head revealing her true face to the perpetrator, not that she had any further reason to conceal her identity. At the end of the alley was the female figure they had been told to expect covered head to toe with a mask on that indeed resembled a deth eater's mask. "Harry pointed his wand at her and ordered her to freeze.

"Ey yer the bitch what kneed me inta guts makin' me puke defendin that pureblood bitch!"

Hermione was somewhat caught off guard by this odd comment when the man raised his wand and shouted "Segmentum Viscus!" she could feel a deep slice through her stomach that she knew had gone all the way through to her intestines. With a grunt she collapsed.

Harry had to make a snap decision. He shouted "Petrificus Totalus" at the man who attacked Hermione letting the woman at the end of the alley escaped and dropped to the ground at Hermione's feet. It was serious. He knew she would bleed out if he did not do something fast. He sent his patronus ahead to St. Mungos to prepare them bound her as best he could and prepared her for side apparition.

"Harry… tell Draco and my children…"

"Fuck that Hermione, you tell them yourself, don't you even think about dying on me. I owe you one hell of a lecture for this shit and you are NOT getting out of it by dying!"


	15. All I Want to do is Make Amends

**Chapter 15**

The first time she started to come to Hermione could not open her eyes or move. The pain was excruciating. She had trouble at first remembering where she was. Then… the alley! HARRY! Was he OK? She started to try to thrash around and suddenly hands were on her calming her.

"Healer Ambrose, she is waking up!"

"No, it is too soon, give her two more vials and monitor her closely, she has lost too much blood and we need to…" this was as far as she got before everything went black again.

The next time was better. She could hear and move her right hand. As soon as she did it was grabbed. She knew that hand it was as familiar to her as her own. "Dr..a..co…" she said weakly.

"I'm here love, I'm here." She felt his head against her shoulder.

"Drac..o? Ha…r..ry?" she hated how weak she sounded.

"Harry is fine love, not a scratch on him." Which is why he sported a black eye the first day, but he sure as hell wasn't going to tell her that.

"So st..up…id cou..ld h..ave got h..im ki…led." She started to cry.

"No baby don't, he is fine I promise. He does this for a living, remember?" she felt hands wipe away her tears "If you get worked up they are going to throw me out and they won't let me back this time if I hit another healer."

"Drac..o" even as weak as she was he could hear the exasperation in her voice.

"Sleep baby. I will be here when you wake up."

"No. S…end Ha..rry. Y..ou go sle..ep ..eat. Or..ders." she squeezed his hand. "Le..ast …y..ou ca..n do."

"Least I can do?"

"For hi…t..ting him." It wasn't a question.

"How did you know?

"Not h..ere."

Smartest witch of her age indeed.

When next she woke Harry was by her side and she felt much stronger.

"Harry…" she all but whispered his name, so relieved she was to see him unhurt.

"He had been curled up in a chair sleeping but as soon as he heard her voice he rushed to her side "Mione… oh Merlin am I glad to see you awake. You scared the hell out of me. Don't you ever do that again. When you get out of here we are going to sit down with a procedural manual and a dictionary and we are looking up the words DEFINITELY, Not, A and TAKEDOWN."

She knew she had this lecture coming and worse. "I am so sorry Harry, I could have got you killed. I…"

"ME? Hermione you are lying in a bed in St. Mungos barely repaired. That spell lacerated your intestines, liver and ruptured your spleen and you lost so much blood I thought you were dead when I brought you in! Never, never again. I can't do this again."

She knew how close he was to weeping and just took his hand. "I swear Harry, nice safe desk jobs from here on out."

He hugged her "I have to owl Malfoy, he promised to do worse than blacken my eye if I didn't."

"Wait damned it, did you get them?" she had to know this wasn't all for nothing.

He sighed and shook his head "We did not get the woman, but we got the three men. They are swearing there was no woman that we are delusional. They are taking all the blame."

"Who are they? Were the hypnotized as well?"

"Doubt it, but we met them before. Back when Astoria was alive. It was that day in Diagon Alley. They accosted her when she had Scorpius in the pram."

She thought back "Stan or Steve or something…" she and Draco had talked about it a few times but the details got muddled.

"Close, Stu."

"Those three aren't smart enough to spell hypnotize let alone perform it."

"I agree, and Kingsley has now learned you are still the brightest witch and says he will never doubt your word again." Hermione scoffed at this.

"Hey take what you can get. It is better than he gives me, All I am the Chosen One for these days is paperwork." They both laughed.

Harry went out to owl Draco and within half an hour he was there with Rose and Scorpius who were crowded around her in moments, each eager to hug her and verify she was indeed alive. Rose she noted with interest was comforted by Scorpius when she began to cry. She raised an eyebrow at Draco but he just shrugged.

After a few minutes of this Healer Ambrose came in and told them all Hermione needed her rest and they could come back tomorrow. "When can she come home Healer?" asked Scorpius, the official spokesman of their clan. "It will be at least a week if all goes well, and what will help it go well is plenty of rest."

"I will take them to the floo and be right back." He said this to the healer she noted and shot him a warning look which he pointedly ignored.

Hermione was well on the mend but the Healers insisted she stay in the hospital the full week and Draco was NOT on her side in this.

On top of being trapped they positively refused to allow her to bring any work to the hospital with her. They would allow her books, but that was all. Liking to keep things tidy she asked them to bring her bag with the extendable charm "Which books do you want me to place inside, love?"

"None, I have copies of all of my books stored in there in case of an emergency."

"What emergency could you possibly expect that require that blasted bag to be full of copies of all of your books?"

She waved a hand around the room causing him to roll his eyes. "Only you woman."

What she did not tell him was that she had potion ingredients, emergency rations, it was a complete bug out kit. A left over from the war to always be prepared.

When he brought it back she dug in and grabbed her first book, "challenges in Charming" and happily snuggled up to read. Draco chuckled "As you are occupied, I am going to go send an owl to update potter and the kids on your condition." He kissed her forehead.

He stopped at the door and looked back "I love you, you infuriating woman."

She smiled "And I love you, you arrogant prat."

While he was gone a nervous looking young woman stopped at the entrance of her door and cleared her throat slightly "Miss Granger?"

Hermione looked up, the woman looked familiar but she could not quite place her, perhaps a Ministry worker… then she realized who it was.

"What do you want? Is there something else from my life that you would like to take?"

Cecilia looked down at the floor "I just wanted to come and apologize to say that I was in a very dark place at the time. I… that does not excuse what I did, but perhaps this will come some way towards making reparations." She held up a globe, it looked rather like a snow globe Hermione thought.

"What is it?" Hermione was suspicious of course, she had just been attacked after all, but she was in a fully warded hospital, had her wand in hand and Draco was little more than a shout away.

Cecilia approached cautiously "It is supposed to provide information on a pressing concern or matter. I… I know this latest case has been difficult, I thought maybe if I could offer this globe that has been in my family for years, maybe it could help."

"A crystal ball?" Hermione scoffed.

"I… perhaps it was foolish of me, I just wanted to try to help, our children are siblings and yet because of the harm I have done I cannot bear for Ron to even meet his daughter. I just want to move on with my life."

Hermione felt for the woman who looked very young, she had been fooled by Ron once herself. "It was very thoughtful of you to want to help. I have no powers of divination mind you, but here let me try."

Cecilia brought the ball forward and dropped it into Hermione's hand. As soon as she touched it she and everything she had been touching vanished. The young woman smiled in a very self satisfied way, scooped up the ball placed it in her bag and strolled out.

When Draco returned there was no trace of her anywhere.


	16. Cecilia Who?

**Chapter 16**

"What do you mean she is just GONE?!" shouted Harry. 'She can't just have disappeared. Patients have wards put on them to prevent their apparating out of hospital rooms."

"I mean when I came back she and her bloody bag and everything else in that bed were gone. Just not there." Draco was pacing up and down in the room which was now full of Aurors.

"Her bag? Which bag?" Draco did not like the panic tingeing Harry's voice.

"The one she says she keeps copies of all her books in, why?"

"Her bug out bag? She asked for her BUG OUT BAG?!" Harry was shouting now "I hate to ask you these questions, but now it is really important that you tell me the 100% truth. Had you two fought today? At all? Even in the slightest?"

"No, not even in the least? Why?"

"Had she mentioned anyone wanting to harm her?"

"She was in here because someone wanted to harm her, Harry!"

"No, they wanted to harm whoever came after them and it was just an added treat that he got to attack Hermione." Draco growled.

"I know it is hard but try to calm down just a little mate."

"What the hell is going on Harry and what the hell does that ruddy bag have to do with it?"

"That bag saved our lives more than once. It was the bloody secret to our success. That bag and Hermione. We would have died without both of them. She has kept it fully stocked since the war. Extra copies of essential books, potion ingredients, healing potions, clothing, food, you name it it is in that damned bag. So you see why I worry that she asked for it?"

"OK yeah, yeah I get it but all she told me was that she wanted books. She was annoyed that the healer wouldn't let her work from here and that I agreed with him, but I doubt that caused her to flee with this bug out bag."

"No, workaholic wives stay to nag."

A young Auror came in "Anything Jebsen?"

"No sir, we checked the autopensieve from the last her healer left to when Mr. Malfoy reported her disappearance, we only see one visitor go in, Officer Granger does not leave with her."

"Visitor?" Draco asked "what visitor? All of her approved visitors were coming with you today Harry." They had not told Hermione but only those on a specially approved list who had to come with Harry through a shower at the Ministry that removed all enchantments were allowed to visit.

They ran to the autopensieve to view this visitor.

"Cecilia!" they both shouted at the same time immediately recognizing Ron's ex-lover.

Harry did not want Ron dragged down to the Ministry. Neither did Draco, but Draco DID want to drag him down in to the dungeons of his parents old home, where Harry just wanted a friendly chat at Ron's home.

When Ron answered the door he looked like hell had dragged him through several lakes, fed him to six demon dogs who vomited him back on earth for another go around.

"Harry?"

"Ron, we need to talk to you."

"Fine, but not the asshole banging my wife."

"Ex-wife, and if I don't get what I need out of you I promise you are going to be an ex EVERYTHING!" Draco lunged for him, barely restrained by Harry.

Ron actually looked shocked. "What the hell Harry?"

"Hermione is missing Ron and Cecilia had something to do with it?"

"Bloody hell, missing? Alright come in."

The house was a disaster; Hermione would be embarrassed to see her old home in this condition.

"Draco went to owl me about her condition…"

"What condition?"

"Ron do you not even speak to your children?" Harry was shocked.

"How, after she turned everyone against me? No one talks to me anymore except George and he just gives me orders." Harry could not believe Ron still had the nerve to pout.

"I am going to forget everything you just said for a minute. Hermione was attacked she almost died." Ron's eyes went round "Most of her internal organs were sliced through and I had to carry her to the hospital. When I got her there I actually thought she was dead. My clothes were dripping her blood everywhere I walked." Draco turned green he knew it had been bad but not this bad "Then just about two hours ago she went missing from her hospital room when Draco went out to owl me so the kids could come visit. And the only one who entered that room was your ex Cecilia. Now start talking. Where do we find her?"

Ron sat down and ran a hand through his hair. "Merlin Harry I had no idea any of this was happening. I have screwed up so bad and honestly? I don't even remember doing most of it. I mean I remember it, you know, but I don't remember _wanting_ to do any of it. I sure as hell have no idea why I even took the veritaserum from the storage room. But even before that, I had no interest in Cecilia at all. I mean even in hiring her. I interviewed her and had decided on someone else, but then I hired her…"

Draco interrupted him "No one gives a shit about your intent Weasel, give us an address."

"No, wait" Harry said "this actually might be important."

"That is what I am telling you guys. I don't _have_ an address I barely knew her."

Draco sneered "That's not what the pictures show."

"Don't you think I'm aware of that?!"

"Stop it both of you! Ron, what does it mean to you if I say " **Imagine** yourself drifting on a calm and beautiful river"?"

"That is weird how do you know that phrase? Cecilia used to say it to help me relax at work." Ron had a slightly glazed look in his eyes.

"Shit, Cecilia is the cloaked woman!" Harry shouted.

"The cloaked what?" Asked Draco.

"That is who Hermione and I were going to investigate. She is the one behind the attacks on muggleborns and halfbloods." Harry ran for the floo Draco hot on his tail.

"It was this bitches goons who attacked Hermione? All over him?" he jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

"Yeah I don't know. But we are sure as hell going to find out." They flooed to the Ministry.

Searching through employee records, criminal records, Hogwarts record, every record and picture they had they could only come to one conclusion, Cecilia did not exist. Every person who was to have done a background check on her had no recollection of the file coming across their desk.

"What now?" Asked Draco frustrated.

"Now we go back to square one. The first person contacted was Ron. Who was next? They thought hard. "The kids" shouted Draco, "they were trying to blackmail them in to stealing something from me. Let's go find them!"


	17. Tiny Prison

**Chapter 17**

Hermione woke on a cold hard ground. She was glad her wounds were mostly healed or she never would have been able to stand as well as she did. Leaning against a tree she tried to get her bearings. Off in the distance she could see lights and started to stumble that way. After a bit she noticed she was neither terribly cold nor hot. Everything everywhere seemed a perfect temperature. That wasn't too bad.

A few moments later she spied a rider on a broom heading towards her. Ducking behind a tree she waited. Soon she heard a familiar voice cal out "Is anyone there? It's OK, I am just here to help."

GEORGE! Thank Merlin, just in case she peeked around the tree and saw him looking around.

Running out she threw herself into his startled arms "George! Oh I am so happy to see you! Did you get caught too? Where are we?"

He held her close for a moment and said quietly there is a name I haven't hear in some time." Then pushed her out at arm length to look down at her "Hermione Granger, you grew up better than I expected and I had a bet on it too!"

She looked at him puzzled, why on earth was George acting like they hadn't seen each other in years instead of weeks? Then she looked closer and gasped. Two ears. "Fr….Fred? It can't be you! You are…. You died! Oh Merlin am I dead?! I can't be dead I still have work to do!"

"Only you Hermione Granger would skiv off the afterlife for work. No you are not dead, neither am I for that matter. At least I don't think so. I still have to eat sleep and perform all of the necessary functions of life. If I am dead this is the crappiest afterlife ever!"

She threw herself in to his arms once again "Oh Fred, you… you can't imagine what it has been like since you…. George is going to be so thrilled."

Fred looked at her sadly. "I am afraid not my dear, I have been here twenty three years and as far as I can tell, there is no way out."

Hermione started to say something when a small screen popped up next to her and the face of Cecilia appeared looking quite smug "Oh good, I see you have found a friend. I hope you two are quite cozy because you are never leaving."

"Why are you doing this to me?! To US?!" shouted Hermione at the image, only slightly surprised that the woman appeared to be using a muggle video screen. After all, this was the same woman who was using muggle hypnosis combined with magic to control people.

"Your friend? I have done nothing. I don't care why he is in here. You? This is purely justice."

"Justice?! For Ron? You could have had him. I wasn't interested after he already had you!" Hermione was outraged at this woman's behavior.

Fred watched the two with interest. He had never heard anyone from the outside speak here before.

"Not for Ronald Weasley, you stupid girl. Ronald was part of the justice you had coming. A means to an end before I destroyed your life by bringing you here. No this is purely YOUR doing. The justice YOU have coming to you for daring to falsely imprison me for an entire year!" The woman sounded like a raving lunatic. Hermione was beginning to fear for the child she was raising.

"Imprison you? I don't even know you, how could I have done any such thing, the Wizengamot…"

"Not that pack of fools, you!" The woman started changing; it almost looked like she was melting. Hermione recognized a polyjuice potion ending when she saw it. When the woman was done standing before her was a petite blonde with elaborately curled hair and a heavy jowled face who was putting on jeweled glasses. _Rita Skeeter._

Hermione gasped in outrage "You bitch! If you think you can keep me in here, you are very much mistaken. Draco will come for me and when he does you are going to be happy to be in Azkaban!"

"Oh, I don't think so," the camera panned out to show a desk only the sizes were oddly out of proportion to her eye. Everything looked incredibly large. Almost as if she were looking at it from … inside a snow globe…. "no one knows where you are or even that this lovely little ball is actually a very tiny prison for undesirables that someone either wants to study or just keep to amuse themselves for a very very long time." She looked positively demonic.

"We'll see. You see, Draco is one thing first and foremost. He is a Malfoy. And no one; and I do mean NO ONE steals from a Malfoy."

The screen went black.

Fred was looking at her with interest. "So… it seems like a few things have changed since I have been here…"

"Yeah… but don't worry, Draco WILL find me."

"Draco… Draco Malfoy is the one we are relying on to rescue us? The one you referred to as a vile, evil cockroach?" Fred looked dubious.

"Those traits are precisely what I am counting on now. But right now…"she leaned against a tree "I am still not quite healed from her goons attacking me."

Fred immediately looked concerned "Let me take you back to the others" he carefully scooped her up and settled her across his lap on the broom.

"Others?" she snuggled into his warmth, she didn't need it for the temperature, but she definitely needed the comfort.

"You'll see."

He flew her to a small village where approximately fifty people lived. Of all ages. "Who are they? Where did they come from?"

"We were all brought here during the war. We assumed our side had won because the threatened experiments never occurred."

"Experiments?"

"Yes, they took people they found 'interesting' in order to perform magical experiments…"

"But Fred, I saw you die. I went to your funeral. We definitely buried you!"

"You sure did, I was in a comatose state. I came to in that box. Fortunately, or not depending on your perspective, Death Eaters were already digging me up and bringing me here to carry on Voldemort's will, or so they said. Trying to resurrect him I imagine. I was brought because I was a twin, they wanted to see if that could be useful. Now your turn."

Hermione spent the next several hours in a small pub much like the Three Broomsticks telling Fred everything that had happened since his "death". She was surprised that the drinks and food kept flowing. "They wanted us alive and complacent."

"That is sick. I mean I am glad you were not starved to death, but the reason…"

"Yeah, not great, but at least the children born here…"

"People had children here?!"

"Life and love find a way. So… you and Malfoy, huh?" he grinned at her in a way that almost made her start crying again.

"You aren't bothered about Ron?"

"That he used veritaserum on you? Yes, that you dumped him? No. We all knew you were too good for him I am amazed you stayed together as long as you did."

"He wrecked a twenty year marriage to sleep with Rita Skeeter of all people, even if she was disguised as a hot twenty something year old."

"Yeah, bad on so, so many levels." Fred looked nauseated.


	18. To Catch a Blackmailer

**Chapter 18**

Harry and Draco gathered all of the kids at the Manor. Albus, Scorpius and Rose were the ones who had received the letters so they were the ones answering their questions.

"Let's go over this one more time. Try to remember anything you can. What were the items they asked for?" Draco led the discussion.

"They wanted a crystal ball, Dad." Scorpius, Albus and Rose were sitting on the coach trying their best to help figure out where Hermione could be and how to track down Cecilia.

"A crystal ball? Why a crystal ball?" demanded Harry.

"It isn't like they spilled their life story to us Dad," said Albus "do blackmailers usually give reasons for their reasons for their demands?"

"Don't get smart Albus, we need to find your Aunt!"

"I know Dad, I'm sorry, we want to find Aunt Hermione as well, but honestly, we were just given a list of a few things."

"It's OK Albus" said Draco, "just tell us what they wanted."

"We have the letters they sent us, that will tell you what they wanted." Chimed in Rose.

Harry tried not to growl at them "Please bring us the letters."

When they left Harry dropped his head into his hands "I can't believe how I left things with her. I lectured her. I didn't tell her how much she means to me and now she is gone… I may never have another chance."

"SHE IS NOT GONE!" shouted Draco startling Harry. "She is just… misplaced. I am going to find her and you bet get your shit together and help me."

"Yeah….ok. You're right. I got this." Harry lifted up his head and tried to look like the bloody hero everyone called him. Draco thought he looked ready to faint. He could scarcely credit this man with being the savior of the wizarding world. He was not good in a crisis; clearly no one had exaggerated when they said Hermione was the brains of the outfit.

"You better, because right now, the woman I love is out there injured. Someone took her. NO ONE steals from a Malfoy. NO ONE!" This was the arrogant bastard Harry remembered from school. He was glad to have him on their side this time.

The kids brought back three letters.

The first demanded that the blackmailer be brought a book that documented how to use muggles own weapons against them enhanced by magic.

Harry looked up sharply "Did you give her this?"

"Who?" Asked Scorpius "No, of course not."

"That book isn't here Harry, it is in our vaults, I don't even know how she knew it existed."

"WHO?!" Shouted Albus.

"Never mind who," said Draco "what was next?"

"An extender stone." Read Harry.

"Innocuous enough, it lengthens the time of a spell or potions. They are expensive and rather rare, but not impossible or terribly difficult to find."

"OK…. Perhaps for the potions they used. Next?"

"Something called a 'Carcerem Orbis' here there is a picture."

Draco became even paler than usual. "Are you sure that's what it says?"

"Yes, right here." He showed Draco the letter "Why?"

"It means Prison World. They are small orbs, the size of a snow globe, like in the picture the blackmailer included. They are self contained prisons. The inmates are fed, given anything they want really, but escape is impossible, and finding them nearly so due to their size."

He and Harry stared at each other in shock and horror.

Harry started to throw up his hands with the papers in them when he stopped and smelled the papers. "There is a scent on here, a woman's perfume."

"Not surprising, we know a woman is behind this, we even know who she is, or who she claimed to be."

"I know this scent." Said Harry looking slightly nauseated.

"Know it? From where? And hundreds of women in this town must where that scent at any given time."

Harry shook his head "None of the women I know, the smell makes me feel ill. I would sure as hell have noticed that."

"OK… but how do we know it is connected to where you smelled it before?"

"We don't but what else do we have to go on?" Harry looked at him desperately.

Draco, just as desperate nodded "OK, let's find the scent, there are several perfumeries near here."

They went to shop after shop but none recognized it. Finally in one tiny little out of the way place that they almost overlooked the little witch behind the counter said "Oh, I know that smell alright. Vile stuff. Witch mixes it herself, she wanted an obnoxious smell, said it made people she was interviewing wan to get away from her. She likes to take them in to small places you see. Said it makes them forget to be cautious around the press and they say things they wouldn't normally. She is as vile as the scent she mixes."

Draco and Harry looked at each other. Harry suddenly remembered a small room he was dragged in to fourth year for an interview. This smell permeated the confined space. The falsely sympathetic witch who had interviewed him. His eyes grew round. "I know who we are looking for!"

Less than an hour later they had Rita Skeeter at wand point with a half dozen Aurors behind them. She was holding the globe in her hands threatening to smash it.

"Give me a reason Potter. Make one move. I am getting out of here, and until I am safe, I am taking this with me." The woman looked deranged.

Harry took a deep breath. "I hope you are a better Quidditch player than you used to be Malfoy. EXPELLIARMUS!"

Draco still had the reflexes of a seeker and managed to catch the globe as it came flying towards them.

"Got her Harry." Shouted Draco relieved.

Harry held his wand under the witches throat "Now, give me the spell that releases her."

Rita laughed "Not a chance. She will rot in there and there is nothing you can do about it."

Harry smiled. It would have chilled Rita's heart if madness had not taken hold so deeply. "Perhaps not, but she can." He jerked his head towards the door. Stepping through was one of the feared ht witches employed by the Aurors. Authorized to use the unforgiveables when a situation warranted it. And Harry, as head of the department, was the one who determined when it was warranted.

He had definitely decided this case warranted the use of fair means or foul. He had given her a chance. It was her fault she refused to take it.

Half an hour later of intense questioning and Harry had the counterspell.


	19. Catching Up

**Chapter 19**

While waiting for Draco and probably Harry, to rescue her, Hermione continued to catch Fred up on what had gone on in his absence.

"Angelina married George, they have two children, Roxanne and Fred II, we all call him Freddy. Does… does that bother you?"

"That he named his son after me? No that is amazing! I mean, it would make it awkward for me to have a junior, but I suppose I will just have to name any kids I have after him."

"No, I mean that he married Angelina?"

"No. Why would that bother me?" Hermione was relieved that he seemed so perplexed.

"Well, you did date her in school." She reminded him.

"Oh for Merlin's sake Hermione, I did not "date" her we went to one school dance together. That hardly makes for the romance of the century." Fred laughed. It was so good to hear him laugh she couldn't help tear up a bit. He covered her hand with his.

"I am so sorry, we have just all missed you so much." She said wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Well, I should hope so, you got left with the less funny twin. I hope he didn't run our shop in to the ground."

"He did alright, not as well as you would have done. He hired Ron after … well, you know."

"Yeah… need for me to kick his arse for you? I have kept in really good shape here and I am more than twenty years removed from good familial feelings."

"No thanks, Charley came home from Romania and did that. "

"Did he now? Good old Charley. There was always a reason he was my favorite brother who wasn't a twin. So what else has been happening?"

"Well, there is some serious talk about my replacing Kingsley next year when he retires."

"Don't you have to be an Auror to be Head Auror? Besides, I thought you said Harry was head of that department?"

"No, no. Kingsley is Minister of Magic."

"WHOA! They are talking about making you Minister of Magic? Will we finally be able to start getting away with stuff being as good as family to the Minister and all?"

"Will I finally be able to trust you to start behaving yourself being as good as family to the Minister and all?"

They both looked at each other for a long time before laughing hysterically.

"So," fred said finally, tell me about the evil woman who was cackling maniacally about capturing you, I mean I know she was Rita Skeeter, but who was she. You said Ron's assistant? How did she get away with pretending to be a witch in the Ministry? Don't they have tighter security than that?"

"Yeah… I don't know. There were these attacks on muggleborns and halfbloods. It looked like purebloods were doing it, children of death eaters but it all felt too much like a set up to me. And one of my officers felt the same. So Harry and I went looking for answers. And I ran into an old acquaintance."

Hermione told Fred all about Stu and his gang and how she had met Draco and his wide. How Draco had helped her to overcome a lot of her held over issues from the war and she had done the same for him. How the four of them had become friends. She showed him her tattoo of the death mark. Unlike some others Fred understood why she had it.

"I get it. I don't like seeing it on you, but I get it, you took ownership of it and what it means. I can respect that."

"Thanks it freaks out a lot of people. Draco got a tattoo of my mudblood scar on his arm. My torture that day really messed him up feeling like he should have stepped in. Later when I found out about Ron and "Cecilia" I don't know, everywhere I turned all of my friends were related to Ron by blood or marriage, it was just weird to go to them. Except for Draco. So I went to him. And ended up staying. We weren't romantically involved for a year after I moved in."

"A year? That is not just a respectable amount of time, that is just painful. No sex at all for a year?"

"I am perfectly capable of denying myself Fred Weasley."

"I wasn't pitying you, you daft woman, I was pitying Malfoy, I would have thought I would have a friendly drink in the Three Broomsticks with the Giant Squid before that happened!" Fred looked at her in mock horror.

She slugged him in the arm. "You truly are the best at being the worst!"

Fred laughed.

He took her around their little village and showed her how they lived. It was not a terrible existence but it was still prison.

"It would have been far worse had you not won out there I imagine." Reflected Fred "They had fully intended to torture me for instance to see if George would feel it. Among other experiments they had in mind."

"To what purpose?" Hermione was appalled.

"Evil seldom has a true purpose and it certainly does not feel the need to explain itself. Before I burned them all the libraries here were filled with books on the experiments in Nazi Germany. I believe they wanted us to know exactly what they had in mind. Some of those books were bound in human skin."

Hermione shuddered. "I am even more glad we won then."

"As am I. Though we knew we stood no chance of rescue. I was believed dead. No one was looking for me. I remember my funeral. Being lowered in to the ground and having no way to communicate. I was actually grateful to those bastards for digging me up and brining me here. That messed with my head for a long time." He looked disgusted with himself.

Hermione reached out and gave him a side hug but said nothing about it.

"Some of the others hooked up and formed lasting relationships and even had kids."

"But not you?"

"I did. For awhile." His mouth had set in a hard line.

"What happened?" she asked quietly.

"There is only one way out of here Hermione. I came home one night to find out Katrina had taken it."

"Oh Fred, I am so sorry, I don't know what to say…"

He nodded. But we get by. Food is not an issue, our needs are provided for. The stores all have essential stocks of clothing and essentials just like any other village would have. It is designed to be completely self sustaining. But don't mistake this for a paradise. It is a prison. Nothing new comes in nothing goes out. I know you believe that Draco is coming for you, but Hermione we could literally be anywhere in the world. Tossed in to a rubbish heap somewhere. There is no way for him to find us. No way for anyone to get to us."

"No, Rita Skeeter is a self center witch. She will keep us someplace where she can gloat. She will want to watch us struggle. He will figure it out. And Harry knows about Cecilia. He doesn't know she is really Rita, but it won't take him long."

"Hermione, you were the brains of that bunch, does he really have the ability to figure this out?

"Harry? Probably. But with Draco by his side? Definitely. Have faith Fred, your kidnapping was well executed. Mine was not."

At that moment they both felt the world shake and grabbed on to each other for stability.


	20. Rescued!

**Chapter 20**

Feeling an uncomfortable squeezing in the center of her chest, something like be forced from a tube of toothpaste she imagined, Hermione found herself collapsing on the ground with Fred Weasley on top of her.

But this was not the soft grass they had just left. This was a hardwood floor. Somewhere above her she heard a very familiar and very beloved voice say "Weasley if you do not get off of her I am going to make sex a very unpleasant experience for you for a very long time to come."

Fred looked down at her in surprise "Blimey if you weren't right Mione, bloody Draco Malfoy DID come for you! The madness of this new world!" Hopping up off of her he looked around in to the startled faces of the men. "Wotcher there Harry"

"George….?" Harry asked confused.

"Try again mate." Harry's eyes got big.

"No. Fred? How?" He grabbed Fred in a hug while Draco tended to Hermione.

Draco carefully scooped her up off of the ground refusing to let her stand on her own. Carefully lifting her shirt he assessed the damage she had done to her healing wounds.

"Harry, she needs to go back to St. Mungos and get checked right now."

Harry dropped to a knee next to her "Merlin Hermione, I am sorry, are you ok?"

"Of course she isn't OK you git, she wasn't fully healed." Draco shot back at him cradling her against his chest.

"I am perfectly fine Draco. Please don't fuss." She laid a hand on his cheek making him look at her. He laid his forehead against hers.

"I will have the Aurors summon a healer and we will have her transported at once Draco."

"WAIT!" shouted Hermione making the mistake of wincing slightly all but panicking Draco and Harry who started fussing again.

"Stop it right now and listen to me" she snapped "There are about 50 other people trapped in that globe including children all prisoners from the war and you need to get them out of there!"

The men stared at her surprised, but they called in a curse breaker to assist with the rescue mission.

Harry took Fred to owl his family, this was going to be a shock and they had to determine the best way to break the news. He couldn't very well just walk in and say "Surprise!"

In the end they invited only George to the Ministry, but did not tell him why. Hermione refused to go anywhere until she had seen them reunited.

When George came in he was covered in some kind of purple goo. "This better be good Harry and not just to settle some dumb bet between you and Malfoy again. I am elbow deep in an instant storm potion guaranteed to give Filch…" he stopped short when he saw Fred leaning against a doorframe, his mouth moving soundlessly.

"I… is this some kind of sick joke?" his eyes were beginning to flash with red hot anger.

"No joke Georgie. It really is me. I can explain but it is going to take a minute. I am not back from the dead. I never actually died. I was held in the same place Hermione was taken when she was kidnapped."

George reached out and touched Fred's shoulder just to make sure he wasn't a hallucination. When he saw that Fred was solid he collapsed into his arms sobbing. The rest of the group left them alone to sort it out.

Draco accompanied Hermione to the hospital never fully letting go of her. Healer Ambrose carefully checked her over and declared that she had not done any serious damage to her healing and told Draco he could take her home but stressed there was to be NO strenuous exercise of ANY sort. It was very clear what he meant.

Draco glared at him "I am not an animal. I believe I can control my base urges."

"We have a healer who was sorting a black eye who might have a different spin on that story Mr. Malfoy." Healer Ambrose glared back at him unswayed.

Once at home, Draco allowed the children to visit with Hermione a few at a time. But he allowed no other visitors beyond Harry and Ginny. The Weasel tried.

Once they had all gone he sat next to her and pulled her head into his lap stroking her hair. "I have never been more terrified in my life than when I went back in to that room and you were gone."

Grabbing his hand and planting a kiss in his palm she looked up at him with such trust in her eyes it took his breath away. He had people look at him with love before, but trust was a new thing he was still getting used to. "I knew you would come for me. I wasn't worried. I told Rita she would be happy to be safe in Azkaban once you found her."

He laughed "And how exactly did you come to this conclusion?"

"Draco, you have many fine qualities. Ones that I love. You are intelligent. You are sinfully attractive. You are charming and ungodly talented with your tongue in more ways than one" she grinned at him. "But for all of your fine qualities you are a flawed human being."

"Oh I am, am I? Can we just stop with all of my very fine qualities and I will take you upstairs and show off some of my tongues talented properties."

She slapped his arm "You heard Healer Ambrose, he was very clear in his instructions."

He waggled his eyebrows "He said no _strenuous_ exercise. We just have to make sure you stay very very relaxed."

"Behave. Now back to your flaws. "You are arrogant. You are sinfully possessive. You do not like to share. You won't even let me taste your icecream."

"You always say you only want one scoop and then you finish that and eye mine, if you want two scoops, get two scoops!"

She rolled her eyes "All of that leads one to one conclusion, even if you had not said it many many times."

"Oh, and what is that?"

"No one steals from a Malfoy. No one."

He laughed and carried her upstairs where he showed her his talented tongue did not require strenuous efforts on her part.

While they were lying in each other's arms afterwards he suddenly said;

"Marry me."

"What?" Shit that wasn't how he meant to do this, he had a plan, an evening, romance.

"I…I had not meant to ask you like that, I wanted to take you out, shit I made reservations… I hired a band…"

"Yes."

"Yes? Yes to the question or the reservations?" he was actually sweating she thought it was incredibly sweet. Ron had practically tossed the ring at her. She had loved him but romance was not his thing.

"Yes I will marry you. I don't need any of the rest of it. I am happy if at the end of it I just get to keep you.

"Always."

 **We have now come to the end of the story. I do plan an epilogue but the main story is finished. I have sequels planned. Ron deserves his redemption. I have a story for Dennis and Gabriele and later one for Scorpius and Rose and others of the Next Gen. Thank you to my loyal readers. You have all been amazing.**


	21. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Draco was pacing in his office. He knew what Ron had said. He had been coerced into an affair. He was one of the Golden Trio. A Salazar forsaken war hero. They had a twenty year marriage and two children. And what was Draco? A bloody ex death eater with parents whose names would one day be used to scare small children?

He had no delusions about where he stood. Oh she would break it to him gently of course. And assure him he would always be her best friend blah blah blah. And he would live only because his son would need to have at least one living parent.

"So what you are saying is I slept with Rita Skeeter?"

"Yep." She ended the past "p" with a popping sound relishing it, It may not have been his fault exactly, but she was still going to relish this, because as Draco would say, fuck him, she couldn't believe she was blushing to think that even.

"You don't have to enjoy this Mione, I was being controlled." Ron pouted.

"Oh, I think I do. You let my home go to ruins, you alienated my children and blamed me and you have been a colossal ass. And all because I wanted to take flying lessons to surprise you for your bloody birthday. And not once have I heard a real apology from you. Friends since eleven and I don't even get a sincere apology. Have I left anything out?"

"No. You are right. Even without being controlled I didn't do anything to fix it. I just… we had not exactly been doing well in a long time, and Malfoy is… well, everything I am not. He made you laugh and you looked at each other in ways we hadn't in years. Like you actually LIKED each other. And we seemed to barely tolerate each other on good days. I couldn't see any reason for you not to have an affair with him. Hell, I might have slept with him myself if the offer was on the table." They both laughed. "Are you at least happy with him?"

"Very, odd as that might sound. It is like the cracks in our souls joined together to form a hinge, where our cracks just…" she looked at him sadly.

"Made bigger cracks?" he offered.

"Something like that." She smiled at him. "You need to find someone who does that for you Ron. And I want us to be friends again. I miss you, I miss us, the three of us."

He nodded. "I would really like that."

They hugged and she went to find her fiancé, his secretary, an incredibly attractive woman named Angie that she would have been terribly jealous of if she had not met the woman's equally attractive wife waved her in.

She was surprised to find Draco looking tense. His eyes immediately went to her hands. "Sweetheart? Is everything OK? Did a meeting go bad today?" she immediately went around his desk to sit in his lap. His arms went around her reflexively but she noticed he did not really relax. "Draco, what is it, you are starting to scare me."

"How... how did things go with the Weasel?"

"Well enough… I was a little mean… I did enjoy rubbing his nose in the idea that he was sleeping with Rita Skeeter but I remembered what you said you know" she whispered in case Angie could hear her "fuck him" and then she blushed" he smiled a little at that.

"And then?"

"Then I told him exactly how I felt. How no matter that he was controlled in to sleeping with her nothing excused the fact that he never even really apologized. I think I deserved at least that after the length of time we had been friends. And he admitted he was jealous of our friendship because his and my relationship had been, well, not good to say the least for years. If it had not been an affair it would have been something. We could not have gone on much longer the way we were. It sounds awful, but it was really for the best. I was more angry about the veritaserum than the affair."

He looked at her a long time feeling relief beginning but he had to be sure "So you are… you are not going back to him?"

"Draco, is that what this is about? No, I am not going back to him. I love you and nothing is going to change that. I told Ron that the cracks in our souls have joined together to act like a hinge. I would rather have that open door with you than just bigger cracks with someone else."

The relief finally washed over him and telling Angie he was taking the day off he scooped up his fiancé to take her home and show her just how relieved he was.

Fred and George had decided exactly how they would break the news to their mother who they knew should be the first they would summon the rest of the family after.

Fred walked into the burrow first.

"Oh, hello George dear, would you like a sandwhich?"

"I'm not George, I'm Fred," said the man. "Honestly, woman,

you call yourself our mother? Can't you _tell_ I'm Fred? You would think the two ears and much better wit would have given it away!"

"Sorry, Fred, dear I….." she dropped her wand and her hand flew to her mouth as George walked in to stand next to his twin.

It was almost an hour before she could compose herself enough to summon the rest of the family for a full reunion.

The day after the big family reunion Harry had a long conversation with Ron. Hermione's floo was not accepting calls. Harry James Potter went back to his home where there were blissfully no children to resume his very good day, the one that had been interrupted so rudely over a year ago.


End file.
